I just heard a great interview with Marie Corbett on CBC radio. She was a judge who felt powerless and so she retired in the hopes of bringing about change from outside the system. That is pretty remarkable – for a judge to feel powerless. Where does that leave one, individual woman, seeking justice in…
In Early July I sat down via skype with Quyn Lê Erichsen from BBS Radio to talk about the third edition of our book…
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…
Join Karen and I for our upcoming ‘When Love Hurts’ workshop in June…
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…
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…
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]
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…
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…
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? 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…
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…