WHAT CAN I DO IF I THINK I AM BEING ABUSED?


-- RECOGNIZE AND PAY ATTENTION TO THE WARNING SIGNS. DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE PROBLEM. PRETENDING THE WARNING SIGNS ARE NOT THERE WON’T MAKE HIS BEHAVIOUR CHANGE.

-- TELL YOURSELF: “IT IS NOT MY FAULT” AND REMEMBER YOU ARE NOT TO BLAME. NO MATTER WHAT YOU DID OR SAID OR WHAT HE SAID YOU DID OR SAID, YOU DID NOT CAUSE HIS ABUSIVE RESPONSE.

-- REALIZE THAT YOU CANNOT CHANGE HIS BEHAVIOUR NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU LOVE HIM. YOU MAY BELIEVE (because he says so) THAT IF YOU CHANGE THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF, HE WILL CHANGE AND THINGS WILL BE BETTER. PLEASE KNOW THAT ABUSIVE PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS FIND FAULT. THEY WILL ALWAYS COME UP WITH SOMETHING YOU DID OR SAID THAT THEY WILL SAY DROVE THEM TO THE ABUSE. YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BE BLAMED.

-- ABUSIVE BEHAVIOUR IS VERY RESISTANT TO CHANGE; AND, GENERALLY, LONG-TERM, CONSISTENT CHANGE ONLY OCCURS AS A RESULT OF COUNSELLING. HOWEVER, COUNSELLING DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK. THE ABUSIVE PERSON MUST ACCEPT THAT WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS WRONG AND WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. IF THE PERSON ONLY GOES FOR COUNSELLING BECAUSE YOU ASK HIM TO OR TO GET YOU BACK IN HIS LIFE, COUNSELLING IS NOT LIKELY TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

-- REMEMBER THAT PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL ASSAULT ARE BOTH CRIMES AND SO IS THREATENING TO DO YOU HARM. YOU DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO GIVE INFORMATION WHICH MAY LEAD TO CHANGES BEING LAID.

-- TALK TO SOMEONE YOU FEEL SAFE WITH AND THAT YOU TRUST. YOU CAN CALL A WOMEN’S SHELTER, OR CRISIS LINE FOR SUPPORT.
<BGSOUND SRC="angel20SarahMcLachlan.mid" LOOP="INFINITE">

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1