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...
Financial Abuse
By: Cali Robins When people think of abuse, they often think of physical or verbal abuse first. Financial abuse can seem invisible. In domestic situations, the control, restriction, and theft of money are all forms of financial abuse upon a partner. There are many methods that an abuser can use to control their victims’ lives and manipulate them through finances. Make sure to look out for these signs of Financial Abuse: · Controlling household finances without letting their partner see the accounts· Not allowing their partner to work or sabotaging their career· Hiding money from their partner· Making their partner...
The Rise Of Domestic Violence During COVID-19
BY RASHMI NEGI The COVID-19 outbreak has changed our lives in ways we never could have imagined. According to the World Health Organization, there have been over four million COVID-related deaths worldwide and counting. [1] It has been one of the most challenging times in many of our lives, causing fear of the unknown and the possible loss of loved ones. As the pandemic evolved, the U.S. issued stay-at-home orders in March 2020, affecting each of us in many ways. The lockdown had a massive effect on mental health as people adjusted to staying inside their homes. For some, it...
What Is Narcissistic Abuse?
Narcissistic (Emotional) Abuse is a type of emotional abuse that you may not be familiar with is Narcissistic Abuse where the narcissist projects on to another individual. Narcissistic Abuse is focused primarily on psychological and emotional abuse but other types of narcissistic abuse can be classified under this category to include financial, spiritual, sexual, and physical abuse. Relationship Types Narcissistic abuse does not discriminate. This type of abuse can occur in any type of relationship with the workplace, all age groups, spouses and extended family. Much information that you may come across may reveal as this as a personality disorder with psychopathy but...
Spousal Abuse
BY DAISY MORALES Spousal abuse, also called domestic abuse or intimate partner abuse, can include physical, psychological, and financial abuse perpetrated by a spousal/domestic/intimate partner against the people they should care for. Spousal abuse often begins with incidents such as screaming, slapping, or pushing that may seem innocuous or a one-time occurrence, but progressively develop into continuous, more threatening abuse. Even when spousal abuse becomes more habitual, abusers will continue to deny their responsibility, opting instead to blame the victim’s behavior. They also may blame their own actions on outside influences, such as alcohol or stress. If abusers do apologize...
Lessons From Norm Therapy™
BY LAUREN JACQUES Kelly Dehn, Cofounder of ARO, has been able to help those in abusive situations because of her own life experience. After reaching what she refers to as the lowest point of her life, suffering abuse after abuse, Dehn was introduced to by Michael Gibson, Cofounder; and eventually began, what is now known as Norm Therapy™. Dehn describes Norm Therapy™ as “a baseline therapy from which the professionals can carry on their mission to help the abused. We will build a baseline of overt clarity for each abused victim. Basically, what we are doing is providing a clear...
Follow Your ARO: Where We Are Vs. Where We Are Going
Follow Your ARO: Where We Are Vs. Where We Are Going BY ALLISON WINTERS Abuse Refuge Organization (ARO) is constantly changing as a non-profit organization. To set goals and benchmarks for growth and progress, ARO uses a strategic phase plan. In the current phase, Phase II, our focus is on awareness and funding. By onboarding new volunteers daily, ARO looks to help spread our message by expanding staff to concentrate that effort. “Hopefully, we will be able to hire enough people that we can really take on all those tasks that we need to actually get the support behind the...
Speaking Up About Child Abuse
Speaking Up About Child Abuse BY RASHMI NEGI According to Childhelp.org, more than 3 million children are abused in the United States every year (Childhelp.org, 2020). It is appalling that one in every three girls and one in every five boys can become the victims of child abuse. Different forms of child abuse can leave long-term scars, both on the outside and the inside. What is Child Abuse? Child abuse and neglect is an act, or failure to act, by a parent or caretaker which presents a severe risk of harm or death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse,...