When “cold feet” are not “cold feet”

Over the years, many women have said to me that on their wedding day they knew they were making a huge mistake. Societal pressure to go ahead with the wedding once the invitations have been sent is huge. Some women confide in a friend or family member about their fears but are often told they just have “cold feet”. With the women I work with, after the wedding, they discover that their partners are abusive. This is usually not clear before marriage but still some women know marriage is a mistake. However, they are discouraged from hearing this inner prompting once they are engaged. If women could be encouraged by friends and family to listen to their gut (or inner voice) instead of disregarding it, women could be spared a lot of pain and heartache.