| Abusive relationships are a very difficult situation for | | | | or she is fat or ugly. The abuser will often belittle the |
| any person to find themselves in. The facts about | | | | abilities of the victim, tell him or her that they do not |
| abusive relationships are not as well known to people | | | | measure up, or are incapable of doing everyday |
| as they should be. Abusive relationships can be | | | | tasks, such as cooking or shopping. |
| verbally abusive, emotionally abusive, and/or physically | | | | Other abusers will become convinced that their |
| abusive. Victims of abuse are typically women, but | | | | partner is cheating on them and will insist that the |
| men are increasingly reporting abuse. All forms of | | | | victim account for every moment of time. The |
| abuse occur in all ethnic or socio-economic groups. | | | | abuser may spy on the victim, follow the victim, or |
| Warning Signs | | | | check the victim's cell phone bills. Physical abuse often |
| Some of the warning signs of a person who can | | | | begins with these emotional tactics, and then the |
| become abusive are people who feel wronged by | | | | abuser will perform small acts of physical domination, |
| world, feel that everything is everyone else's fault, | | | | such as shoving or pushing. Oftentimes, before the |
| have a history of physical aggression, who have | | | | victim is really aware of it, these acts escalate into |
| significant issues of anger management, have a | | | | major physical abuse. |
| history of drug or alcohol abuse, or feel special | | | | Breaking Away |
| entitlement to preferential treatment from others. | | | | One of the most important facts about abusive |
| Escalation of Abuse | | | | relationships is how hard is is to leave one. The |
| Typically, the abuser begins by controlling the victim's | | | | abuser will often go through cycles of abuse that are |
| time, relationships, and money. The abuser will | | | | followed by remorse and apology so that the victim |
| complain about the time and attention that the | | | | starts to feel that the abuser really will change. The |
| victim's children, extended family, friends, or job | | | | victim beings to trust the abuser, and then something |
| receives. The abuser will complain, pout, and find | | | | happens to trigger the abuse again. The victim also |
| ways to emotionally punish the victim. Some | | | | tends to blame himself or herself for making the |
| examples of these punishments can be hiding the | | | | abuser angry. Abusers also tend to be so emotionally |
| victim's car keys to prevent the victim from going | | | | manipulative that he or she is very good at |
| out with friends, or backing out at the last minute on | | | | convincing the victim that the abuser has changed. It |
| agreeing to watch the children so that the victim | | | | takes a good deal of support and intervention for |
| cannot work. Abusers will also start to control money | | | | the victim to leave permanently. Knowing the facts |
| in the relationship and demand receipts for all | | | | about abusive relationships can make it easier to |
| purchases. The abuser will also put down the physical | | | | avoid them, and to leave before it is too late. |
| appearance of the victim, and tell the victim that he | | | | |