Many people are unaware of the fact that there are many types of domestic violence. While you may think of this as being nothing more than physical abuse, there are other types that are every bit as serious.

It is important to understand the ins and outs of domestic violence, as well as the laws that surround this crime. This will help you remain safe, while also helping you avoid this crime and the consequences that go along with it.

Here is a list of the many types of domestic violence:

-- Physical abuse. The most common, this can include but is not limited to hitting, slapping, shoving, and punching.

-- Sexual abuse. This comes in many forms, such as marital rape.

-- Emotional abuse. This has nothing to do with hitting somebody, but everything to do with deflating his or her self worth.

-- Economic abuse. This is when the abuser takes steps to make the victim feel financially reliant.

Along with the above, lesser known types of domestic violence include: threats, stalking, and cyberstalking.

Domestic violence has been a problem throughout the country for many years.

Here is the issue with domestic violence: there is a lot of gray area with many types.

For example, one person may feel that they are being economically abused while the other doesn't feel the same way.

Since this is the case, it's possible that you could be charged with domestic violence when you did nothing wrong. If this happens, you need to know your legal rights and the best defense strategy.

Source: FindLaw, "What is Domestic Violence?," accessed July 06, 2016