Most women are completely unaware of the amount of abuse that goes on in relationships in this day and age. Whatever form it may take or to whatever degree or frequency, though, abuse is abuse. No excuses, no justifications. People in abusive relationships need to understand the gravity of this issue. Besides, awareness is the first step to possibly even saving a life.
Identifying abuse is just as hard as taking action, though. Whether it’s verbal, physical, emotional, sexual or in any other form, it’s never easy to seek help or talk about it. Any action that purposely aims to inflict pain to another is already considered as abuse. Let’s gear away from the idea that abuse in relationships is just the literal beating and hitting of a person. It can run much deeper than that – even to a point where people are unaware that it’s happening to them.
Being in a relationship may come with its own set of struggles at times, but these struggles should come from a place where both people can learn from each other. When it comes to a point where your partner’s words and actions are no longer coming from a place of growth, but from a place of hostility and resentment, this is when you need to start thinking about seeking help. Taking the necessary steps is an absolute must the minute that you no longer feel safe or when your actions are fuelled by fear of your loved one’s actions. This will not just help you, but your partner, as well.
It’s important to know how to handle the situation as carefully as possible, though. Here are some steps to help you out:
Do not fight back.
This is probably the most important thing to remember as you do not want to add to the person’s aggravation. Always aim to defuse the anger to keep the situation from escalating instead.
Ask for help.
Never wait for things to get to its possible worst before you seek help. You also need to understand that it’s not your fault, no matter what. Abuse is never an acceptable result of any action or behaviour. A lot of victims seem to think that the abuse was completely their fault and they believe that they could have changed something to keep it from happening. No matter what mistakes you make, though, no one deserves to be hit or put down. There is always a more civilized and dignified way to react or handle any problem out there.
Get out ASAP.
The sad truth is that if a person hurts you once, they’re very likely to do it again. As such, it would be vital to get help from a qualified professional when it comes to this. Most people hope for the best and stay with their partner anyway, but the reality is that keeping this between the two of you could be the worst thing you could do. While it may be possible for people to change with time, there is also that chance that things could get worse. As such, getting out before it happens again would actually be the best choice. That way, you can avoid ending up with a broken spirit and even broken bones altogether.