How to identify abuse: #3 Motive
The motive behind abuse is to have power and control over the other person. Women who come to our support group are often fearful that they are abusive. This is because they have yelled at, swore at or hit their partners. When we ask women to recall the context in which they behaved this way, they talk about trying to defend themselves or trying to get their partner to stop attacking them. They are never trying to overpower their partner or control every aspect of their partner’s life. (Although they are sometimes trying to get control of their own life back.) While these women’s behaviour may not be ideal and may in fact be dangerous. It may escalate their partner’s abuse. We would not call their behaviour abusive.
The destruction of parental alienation accusations: one woman’s story
When asked to write an article on the impacts parental alienation accusations had on me…
A framework of healing from coercive control and abuse
This descriptive framework is a collection of signs, feelings, actions, attitudes, and more, that indicate…
Women’s experiences of counsellors
Over the years, we have heard stories from women of counsellors who offered advice that…
How women resist abuse
In our experience, when women are treated abusively in their relationship, they always seek ways…
First do no harm
Research and frontline experiences have documented women’s narratives about how the dynamics of abuse are…
Holding space for painful realities
One of the dynamics of abuse is that abusive men take away all the good…
Upcoming online training: Certified Training for Helping Professionals
Training for helping professionals to provide a proven framework and comprehensive guide to strengthen their…
One woman’s description of navigating family court
One woman’s poetic description of navigating the horrors of Family Court.