Use of Force

• A sign that a spouse might become physically violent is if he grabs or pushes you, even if it is rather mild and just to get your attention. Using physical force during an argument or discussion is a sign that a person is unwilling just to let his words do the talking, and he may resort to greater force in the future as frustrations mount.
  
  

Emotional Highs and Lows

• A person who goes through severe emotional highs and lows is at risk of being violent or abusive to her spouse. The person may be very kind and complimentary one day, and then the next day, a few bad things will happen, causing her to lose control of her emotions and treat you with anger and cruelty over any slight. A person with little control over her emotions may resort to violence to get a point across at some point down the road.
  
  

Controlling Behavior

• Controlling behavior is a major warning sign of an abusive spouse. The spouse may say he is only concerned with his wife's safety. He may become very angry if the spouse is late getting home. If he catches her talking to a coworker for too long, he may question her aggressively about what she was doing. He may try to control even the most basic things, such as hairstyles and outfits.
  
  

Verbal Abuse

• A physically abusive person will often be verbally abusive toward her spouse as well. She may say things that are intentionally meant to degrade her spouse and make him feel like he couldn't survive without her. She may minimize accomplishments and maximize faults, never missing a chance to tell the spouse how stupid he is.
  
  

Poor Treatment of Animals and Children

• The way a spouse treats animals and children is a good sign of how he will treat his spouse. A person who is cruel toward animals or teases younger brothers and sisters in a way that makes them cry may be insensitive toward others, and may treat his spouse with a lack of sensitivity as well.