Abuse
See “Relationship Violence”

Abusive Relationship
A romantic, platonic or familial partnership where one individual utilizes a pattern of abusive behaviors to maintain power and control over the other. This type of relationship is characterized by accusations, blame-shifting, isolation, coercion and manipulation.

Advocate
Any person who has undergone a minimum of 15 hours of training in domestic violence advocacy, crisis intervention, and related areas, and who provides services to survivors through a domestic violence program either on an employed or volunteer basis. The primary focus of relationship violence advocacy is empowerment for survivors of relationship violence.

Asexual
A person who doesn’t experience sexual attraction. These individuals may still experience romantic or affectionate feelings.

Bisexual
A person that is sexually attracted to both men and women.

Control
The ability of a person to influence or direct another person’s behavior.

Digital Abuse
Using technology to bully, harass, stalk or intimidate someone.

Emotional Abuse
Subjecting someone to behavior that results in psychological trauma. Also known as “psychological abuse” or “verbal abuse”.

Financial Abuse
Using money or the ability to earn it to maintain power and control over someone. Also known as “economic abuse”.

Healthy Relationship
A mutually respectful romantic, platonic or familial partnership that is free from all types of abuse. This type of relationship is characterized by good communication, trust, honesty and equality.

Immigrant
A person who moves to a foreign country to live there permanently. This includes people who are undocumented, have immigrated legally or are refugees.

Intersex
A person whose biology doesn’t meet traditional definitions of sex and gender. A minimum estimate of 1-in-2,000 babies are born with ambiguous gender traits that can be apparent at birth or later in life.

Intimate Partner
A person with whom one has a relationship with that is characterized by emotional connectedness, regular contact, ongoing physical/sexual behavior, identity as a couple and/or familiarity and knowledge about each other’s lives.

Keep Up
The official blog of Stand Up Colorado.

Legal Advocacy
This can include providing information and assistance in obtaining a protection order, and intervention/contact on the survivor’s behalf with representatives of the civil or criminal justice system and law enforcement personnel.

LGBTQIA
Abbreviation for “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Asexual”. See terms for definitions.

Movement
A group of people working together to attain a desired end. The Stand Up Colorado Movement is an organized effort of individuals across the state to reach a future free from relationship violence.

Native
A person descendant of indigenous peoples of what is now referred to as the Americas. The terms “Native American” and “American Indian” are not referenced as these were labels assigned by European colonialists rather than by the native people themselves.

Person Experiencing Relationship Violence
A person who is experiencing a pattern of abusive behaviors from another individual within their relationship. Also known as a “victim” or “survivor.”

Person Using Relationship Violence
A person who uses a pattern of abusive behaviors to coerce, intimidate, threaten, manipulate and/or maintain power and control over another individual within their relationship.

Person Witnessing Relationship Violence
A person who sees or knows of someone using or experiencing violence in a relationship.

Physical Abuse
Intentional, undesired contact with someone or something close to their body.

Power
The ability of a person to limit another person’s capacity to change the circumstances of their life by limiting their options.

Queer
A person who doesn’t specifically and/or exclusively identify with a particular sexual orientation or gender identity.

Relationship
An emotional, romantic and/or sexual association between two individuals. A relationship doesn’t require a formal title – such as married, dating, etc. – and can include two people who are engaging in casual or platonic relations.

Relationship Violence
A pattern of behaviors used to coerce, intimidate, threaten, manipulate and/or maintain power and control over another individual within a romantic, platonic or familial relationship. Also known as “domestic violence”, “dating violence” and “intimate partner violence”.

Reproductive Abuse
Denying someone the choice of whether or not to have a child by controlling decision-making regarding birth control and contraceptives, pregnancy and childbirth. 

Spiritual Abuse
Denying someone the right to practice their spiritual/religious beliefs or forcing them to practice one’s own beliefs. Also known as “religious abuse”.

Stalking
Watching, following or harassing someone to keep tabs on them or instill fear.

Stand Up Colorado
A statewide movement to end relationship violence in Colorado through community and individual action.

Stand Up Communities
Local Stand Up Colorado sites that lead the Movement in their community through advocacy, events and outreach.

Stand Up Partner
An organization that goes beyond a financial contribution to support Stand Up Colorado through their specialized expertise, vast networks, extensive resources and more. There are four partner levels – Peak, Ridge, Slope and Base – based on the organization’s level of commitment.

Stand Up Today
The official newsletter of Stand Up Colorado.

Sexual Abuse
Pressuring or coercing someone into performing a nonconsensual sexual activity. Coercion can include the use of drugs or alcohol to inhibit a person’s decision-making ability.

Teen Dating Violence
Physical, sexual or emotional abuse that occurs within a dating relationship among adolescents.

Transgender
A person whose sense of personal identity and gender doesn’t align with their birth sex.

Unhealthy Relationship
A romantic, platonic or familial partnership that lacks equality and mutual respect. This type of relationship is characterized by breaks in communication, pressure, dishonesty, struggles for control and inconsiderate behavio.