“Why Do Victims Stay in Abusive Relationships?” Though this is a natural first question, asking this question to survivors may make them feel like they have to justify how they’ve managed to stay alive. Unfortunately, asking this question is a form of victim blaming whether intended or not. Instead, let’s reframe this question to ask,…

Abuse usually occurs within a cycle whereby the abuse is not always constant. Between incidents of abuse, there can be periods of calm as well. It is important to remember that most survivors of abuse love their partner. 0. Honeymoon phase At the beginning of abusive relationships, oftentimes there is little or no indication of…

There are many different forms of abuse that take place within the context of intimate relationships. • Emotional abuse • Verbal abuse • Physical abuse • Sexual abuse • Financial abuse • Digital abuse Generalizations and Overlap Though the divisions between the types of abuse are usually fluid, some generalizations may be made. With power…

Definition of Domestic Abuse Domestic abuse has been broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship. These partners may be married, dating, family members, friends, or roommates. Depending upon the nature of the relationship of the people involved, domestic abuse can also be referred to as…

Power and Control Domestic abuse occurs when one partner feels the need to dominate the other and uses abusive tactics to exert, and then maintain, power and control over their victim. As such, abuse is chronic and progressive. They key to understanding the dynamics of abuse is to understand that abuse is a choice. The…

Break the Silence We don’t talk about domestic violence. Because of that, domestic violence thrives in silence. When I started my journey as a domestic violence advocate 24 years ago, I answered a hotline call one late night and the woman on the other end of the line was a friend. Now, she hadn’t called…