My interview with Quyn Lê Erichsen
In Early July I sat down via skype with Quyn Lê Erichsen from BBS Radio to talk about the third edition of our book…
Blog
Why I Stayed
Our society believes that if you are being abused by your partner, you should leave – right away. But this is not women’s experience. Leaving a relationship, where there has been abuse, is practically and emotionally very complex. There is no “easy” solution when it comes to abuse. Whether you are living with your partner…
Upcoming Workshop!
Join Karen and I for our upcoming ‘When Love Hurts’ workshop in June…
Connections between abuse, anxiety and depression
It is normal for a woman to experience some level of anxiety or depression if she is experiencing abuse from her partner. Often times women are seen to have some form of mental illness when they are actually just having a normal human reaction to oppression, hurt and crazy-making behaviour. One woman reported that she…
Refugees in their own country
The war in Syria has made all of us aware of a very large group of people who are living desperate lives as they flee their homes, everything they know and make arduous journeys to unfamiliar and overcrowded refugee camps. These refugees carrying with them the faint hope that some country will receive them and…
New video on dating violence
The Abbotsford Police have created a video on violence in young women’s lives. It rings true to me and highlights some important issues like cyberstalking. I would encourage you to watch it. [video_embed][/video_embed]
Cutting off contact with an abusive ex – Facebook
In 2015 it is very hard to cut off contact with an abusive ex. Facebook can be one of many links that keep you in touch with him. Even if you “unfriend” him, you may find his face popping up on other friends’ feed. Or you might hear about things he is doing through other…
New study reports one-third of mothers experience violence from spouses
A new study out of the UK followed over 1,000 mothers for 10 years. Among the findings: More than one-third reported suffering violence from their spouses. Those who suffered abuse were twice as likely to develop depression as women who were not experiencing abuse. The study cited is: “Intimate partner violence and new-onset depression” by…
Exit: This Way Out! Dig a Tunnel
Ann, not her real name, did our support group for women who have experienced abuse. She wanted to share part of her experience in the hope of helping other women. This is what she would like to share… So the time has come that you realize you are in abusive relationship. The counselling, talking, explaining…
Victim or Survivor?
VICTIM or SURVIVOR? These words hold power! We may toss these terms around without considering this. I have used them both many times referring to myself. For a long time I embraced the word “victim”. It helped me realize that what had happened was not my fault. I wore it like a badge of honor…
The connection between abuse and anxiety – one woman’s experience
When I was living with my partner, I was on the maximum dosage of anti-anxiety medication that was allowable. A higher dosage would not have been safe for me. Still, I was anxious all the time. My partner saw this and said “clearly you are mentally ill”. And sometimes I thought he was right. But now that…
Taking Emotional Abuse Seriously
Shirley Parkinson was murdered by her husband of 27 years in Oct. 2014. Her family is speaking about her death in hopes of raising awareness. It has been brought to light that six women have been murdered by their male partners in the last year in Saskatchewan. I appreciated Piya Chatopadhyay’s coverage of this story…