Category Archives: OVERCOMING ABUSE

Encouragement and valuable information to help abuse victims on their road to recovery

SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY-A FORMER VICTIM’S POINT OF VIEW

Ongoing sexual assault in the military of our United States? Who knew? How long has this been occurring, and what’s being done to stop it? Our nation has felt vulnerable and abused over the past weeks with the Boston Marathon bombing. Now we have breaking news that Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Krusinski, Chief of Sexual Assault…

WHY WOMEN STAY IN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS

picture-women leaving2

It is perhaps the most common topic raised by those who don’t understand domestic violence – why women stay in abusive relationships. I have even heard it said, “Well, she must like it, or else she’d just leave.” Really? Who enjoys being emotionally and verbally denigrated, abused and oftentimes battered or beaten? Women stay in abusive…

UNDERSTANDING Domestic Violence

It is important we all reach a level of understanding domestic violence. Amazingly, in spite of the expansion of awareness, many are still asking, “What is domestic violence?” One definition is: A pattern of abusive behavior in an intimate or romantic relationship where one person chooses to control the relationship through the use of force,…

Keep a Journal of Domestic Violence

It can be helpful to keep a journal if you are a victim of domestic violence. If you decide to keep a journal about any domestic violence or partner abuse you experience, the first priority must be your safety. If you have an inkling of journaling on a computer that may be hacked, don’t do…

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE – NOW Use Your Safety Plan

It always starts with  just one step

Well, let’s get ready, it’s time to use your safety plan you’ve been working on. You have finally decided it is time to leave. You want out of the abuse, the verbal and emotional abuse, being roughed up, or God forbid, the black eyes, bruised arms and heart-racing fear.  Where do you start? What do…

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE – WHEN IS IT TIME TO LEAVE?

...but soon looks more like this

How do you know if it is time to leave? (2nd of a 3-part series) Not a day passes that somewhere a victim of domestic violence is not contemplating if it is, in fact, time to leave. Maybe there has not been any physical abuse, at least not yet. “Just” the never-ending verbal and emotional…

A SAFETY PLAN IS A PLAN TO LEAVE SAFELY

When a victim of domestic violence makes that life-altering choice to leave, it should never be done without a safety plan in place and ready to use. Because they are so vitally important, I have decided to spend some time, and posts, on what safety plans are all about, how to develop one and then putting…

Drew Peterson – Guilty as Charged

DV Drew Peterson

Drew Peterson has been found guilty. The trial is over. A jury decided that Drew Peterson is guilty of murdering one of his wives. Is this domestic violence? It is, in its highest and lowest forms. Drew Peterson wore a uniform as a police officer for years. It was his sworn duty to uphold the…

Intimate Partner Violence: Straight or Gay – What is IPV?

DV poster with male face

What is IPV? What do those letters stand for? What does it mean? Are you wondering what it has to do with domestic violence? I.P.V. is the abbreviation for Intimate Partner Violence. The definition of IPV, or intimate partner violence, as shared by the CDC is this: Intimate partner violence—also called domestic violence, battering, or spouse…

Answers for Victims of Abuse

National DV Hotline: 1−800−799−SAFE(7233)

Do we have answers for victims of abuse? They all have questions. They are all seeking answers, but what do we have to offer them? I suppose it could be considered humorous that the top search engine term on my blog site was once “pastor cartoon.” I still have not figured that one out for…