Domestic violence can take many forms including physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological abuse used by one partner to gain or maintain power over the other. It affects victims by lowering their self-esteem and causing them to feel they can't trust others or that everything they do is wrong. Victims of domestic violence suffer physical and mental health problems and may lose their jobs due to absences. To get help, victims should call 911 when safe to do so or contact family and friends about the abuse. Domestic violence is prevalent in the U.S., affecting about 2 million people annually, and sometimes can escalate to homicide when a victim tries to leave their abuser.