By: Whitney Derman Domestic Abuse affects everyone in the family, not just the victim. Although this piece will only mention a few examples, it is important to know “Abusers can be intimate partners, spouses, parents, siblings, or other household members, and they do not need to share a living space with their target in order for a situation to be considered domestic abuse.” (Khan, 2018) This article will address the negative effects of domestic abuse on the witnesses. Even if they are not the direct victims of abuse, witnessing a parent, sibling, or child being abused can negatively affect them...
Abuse Within The LGBTQ+ Community
By: Cali Robins The LGBTQ+ community is a large demographic of individuals who identify outside of heterosexuality or identify outside of the gender that they were assigned at birth. The different types of sexual orientation include homosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, asexual, queer, and more. Those who identify as transgender have either transitioned between male and female or do not fit within the means of a binary gender expression and take on the definition of nonbinary. There are quite a few different ways in which members of the LGBTQ+ face abuse, but before explaining what abuses they face, it is imperative...
Confronting Your Abuser: Having The Difficult Conversation With Those Who Are Hurting You Most
By: Lauren Jacques It can be challenging to confront the person who has abused you for many reasons. They may not be aware of how much they have hurt you. You may worry that talking to them could make the abuse worse. You may have accepted the abuse and can’t imagine things changing. No matter how difficult it may be to face your abuser, you deserve to be free from it. Remember: there is nothing you could have done to deserve abuse. It will not be easy, but you can change your life and heal from abuse. When it comes...
Self-Care
By: Rashmi Negi We all experience struggles in our everyday lives, and how you deal with stress and anxiety matters. With busy schedules, it becomes challenging to practice self-care in our daily lives. We are also surrounded by technology that consumes most of our time. It is essential to find the right balance in your busy life by taking care of yourself—mind, body, and soul. Be Mindful of Diet and Eating HabitsWe are busy at home and in the office, but we shouldn’t forget to nourish ourselves. Practice being mindful of your diet and eating habits. If you don’t have...
Cyberbullying: How To Stop, Prevent, And Help The Situation
By: Whitney Derman Bullying has been an issue throughout human history, but with the rise of social media platforms, a relatively new form of bullying has emerged—cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is much different than face-to-face bullying because it can be done anonymously. Abused people often have no way to confront their bully, and abusers often have no way to see the effect of their bullying. It’s also much harder to get away from than in-person bullying. What Makes Cyberbullying Such A Problem?Anonymous bullying means two things: first, bullies have a sense of invincibility because they believe they’ll never get caught via confrontation,...
Financial Abuse Myths
By: Daisy Morales Financial Abuse is a form of abuse in which the abuser has control over the economic resources of the abused. Financial abuse can be a part of both Elder and Domestic Abuse. Examples of Financial Abuse include: using physical force to get money, spending someone else’s money without their consent, and prohibiting someone from getting (or quitting) a job. Although Financial Abuse is prevalent and almost always present in abusive domestic relationships, it is less recognized as abuse than Domestic Abuse (Zeiderman, 2021). Here are some myths and facts about Financial Abuse. Myth: Financial Abuse only happens...
Consent
By: Rashmi Negi The concept of “consent” has been undervalued for too long. Consent usually means a person is voluntarily permitting another person to do something. When it comes to intimate relationships, consent must be explicitly given. However, people still debate over consensual sex and sexual assault. Society draws a thin line when two people are intimately involved with each other, and in the process, if one person does not explicitly say “no,” some people will accept it as a “yes.” A person may not directly say “no” for many reasons, such as fear or a desire to please another....
Survivor Or Victim: How Do You See Yourself?
By: Lauren Jacques When you think about your trauma, do you see yourself as a victim or a survivor? Do you see yourself as someone watching the event unfold—a target being pushed around by your abuser? Do you see yourself at the center of the abuse, hurt but alive? Can you picture yourself now, after the abuse? Are you still waiting for the next blow, or are you able to see that you have made it through the trauma? The words we use affect our view of ourselves and our trauma. My therapist refers to this as “the story we...
How Abuse Manifests In The Body
By: Mandie Schreck Psychological Abuse can also manifest in the physical body and the mind. When emotions are stored in our physical body, tissues, muscles, and joints, it can cause stress and strain. When deeply rooted abuse and trauma occur, the energy from those emotions seeps through into our physical layers. Physical manifestations can be seen in how a person carries themselves. For example, their shoulders may round forward as if protecting their heart. You may see someone with an off-centered gait from imbalanced hips or tight IT bands. When an individual is going through these ebbs and flows of emotions...
How To Get Out Of An Abusive Situation
By: Rashmi Negi It can be hard to come to terms emotionally with the fact that you are being abused and even harder to muster the courage to get out of an abusive situation. We know it’s a difficult and long process, and it’s okay if you feel lost at times. If you’re unsure about how or even where to start, we want to help answer some of your questions. Here are some important steps to take when leaving an abusive relationship. Know the Different Forms of Abuse Abuse can take many forms in a relationship. Some of the different...