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Unique Dynamics <br />Deaf survivors of domestic and sexual <br />violence experience many of the same <br />forms of abuse as their hearing <br />counterparts (e.g., isolation; intimidation; <br />blame; and financial, emotional, physical, <br />and sexual abuse), but they also experience <br />unique forms of abuse and violence. <br />Abusers may: <br />• Intentionally injure a victim's hands to <br />prevent communication in sign language, <br />or destroy devices used for <br />communication, such as smartphones <br />and videophones. <br />• Monitor communication by accessing <br />saved text messages, emails, instant <br />messenger communication logs, or video <br />messages, and erase or falsely reply to <br />emails and text messages. <br />• Isolate victims from the Deaf community <br />or intimidate victims by threatening to <br />move away from the victim's established <br />Deaf community or to an area with very <br />few Deaf people. <br />Abuse thrives in isolation. <br />Deaf abusers might throw objects, or <br />use gestures, facial expressions or <br />exaggerated signs, or put themselves in <br />close physical proximity to victims, and then <br />deny the inappropriate or aggressive <br />behavior by saying it as a culturally <br />accepted way of communicating. In <br />addition, hearing abusers may interpret <br />falsely or inaccurately to the victim to <br />manipulate situations, including to law <br />enforcement or child protective service <br />advocates, reinforcing the general mistrust <br />Deaf victims may have of dominant hearing <br />culture.[28] <br />12 <br />