SAFETY ALERT: If you are in danger call 911. Or reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or TIY 1-800-787-3224. Please review these safety tips.
When others control us, it’s amazing the power one person can have over another. What do we do when we find ourselves in a position of being controlled by others? When others control us, they can exercise certain levels of power over another’s emotional well being. Others control us through money, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, intimidation30
MAYA ANGELOU Maya Angelou… What do I, a short Caucasian blonde daughter of the South have in common with Maya Angelou? When I think of Maya Angelou, I think of how I love her work, her smile, the twinkle in her eyes and her manner of presence. It seems every time she speaks or puts30
GETTING PAST THE ABUSE – It is a most common thing to hear from former victims of domestic violence that one of their biggest challenges is getting past the abuse. It’s not as simple as making a decision one day and waking the next to find you are free from the victim mentality. For most former30
THINGS ABUSERS SAY – All victims of domestic abuse are aware of more terms used as verbal abuse than one could possibly count. My goal here is to reach out to current victims of domestic violence, especially those who may not think or recognize they truly are victims of domestic violence. Potentially, the most ironic30
Let’s start with the not so obvious issue of those women who come to me and say, “How do I know if I am a victim of domestic violence?” Yes, there are those out there who are uncertain of the fact if they are or are not a victim of domestic violence. To those I30
Okay, let’s get right to it. I was a victim of domestic violence for a very long time. I am no longer a victim. I am a survivor. BUT, it IS possible to continue to be victimized by domestic violence without continuing to live in it. If we continue to give the abuser power and30
How did I ever get into a relationship that held domestic violence? What was I thinking? From out of nowhere, as I considered relationships over the past 2/3 of my life, I recognized a common factor in them. My significant other in each relationship came across as having something to hide about himself. I’m not really30
I was recently approached by an 11-year-old young lady regarding my work in the area of domestic violence. She had a problem and was seeking some help or guidance in how to manage it. We talked. I shared some wisdom and information, and she set forth to resolve it─at 11 years old! She then asked30
It is not uncommon to hear a victim of verbal or emotional abuse say, “Well, it’s not domestic violence. He’s never hit me.” Really? Do you think demeaning or threatening words don’t cause damage, too? There were many times I stood listening to the words spewing from his mouth, telling me how useless, stupid, fat30
What does a child cutting have to do with domestic violence? This dilemma was recently posed to me. “I need to ask you about something. I have a friend at school that is cutting because her parents fight all the time. What should I do? “ Now, let me set the scene a bit clearer.30