Ask Amanda

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  Ask Amanda: Abuser Refuses to Move Out

  Is there any way to force an abuser out of a shared home? | Q: I have a dear friend who is in trouble—her and her daughter’s dad, who is very verbally abusive, live to... read more

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  Ask Amanda: Disabled Survivor with No Support

  Survivors with disabilities can face barriers and stigmas, but there is hope | Q: I got away from my abuser five months ago, and while at least I'm not on the streets ... read more

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  Ask Amanda: My Abuser Is Trying to Keep Me from Getting Help

  Why you need to question everything your abuser says | Q: My abuser has taken the only shelter and its services away from me. He went there to file a restraining order... read more

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  Ask Amanda: Why Can't I Trust a New Person

  If you have trouble making connections after abuse, it may be a sign of PTSD | Q: I just read your article about feeling sorry for your abuser, which was a great ar... read more

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  Ask Amanda: How Do I Help My Deaf Friend Escape Abuse?

  The deaf community is more susceptible to domestic violence than the hearing | Q: What happens when you’re deaf and being abused by a partner? I have a deaf friend ... read more

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  Ask Amanda: How Do I Ask for Help?

  One reader knows it’s time to disclose abuse, but she’s not sure where to begin | Q: I need help. My husband has been abusive for years, but I’ve never told anyone be... read more

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  Ask Amanda: Can I Visit a Food Bank?

  No one should feel embarrassed to access healthy and emergency food through a local food bank | Q: Since divorcing my abusive husband, money’s been tight. Some weeks,... read more

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  Ask Amanda: How Do I Make a Household Budget?

  Now that she’s on her own, one survivor strives for financial independence | Q: I’m a 30-year-old woman and I don’t know how to budget my money. My abuser used to c... read more

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  Ask Amanda: I Feel Sorry For My Abuser. Am I Crazy?

  Survivors can cycle through many emotions after leaving an abuser, even sympathy | Q: I was married 12 years [to an abuser], together 5, so total 17 years. I'm stil... read more

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  Ask Amanda: I Have a Bad Feeling About This Guy

  Are you overreacting, or is your gut instinct is trying to tell you something? | Q: I’m 28 and I recently started seeing someone new. He’s charming, outgoing and a ... read more

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  Ask Amanda: What Happens If Shelter Is Worse Than Home?

  Shelters should always hear out survivors’ concerns—what to do if they don’t | Q: At the shelter I’m currently at, there are bed bugs, they were feeding us expired ... read more

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  Ask Amanda: My Elderly Mom Is Being Abused

  When senior partners depend on each other, but one is abusive, what can be done? | Q: My parents are both in their 70s and I’ve suspected for a while now that my fa... read more

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  Ask Amanda: How Do I Get Into a Shelter?

  A survivor wants to know if it’s as simple as knocking on the front door | Q: Do you have to make an appointment to go to a shelter or do you just go and tell them ... read more

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  Ask Amanda: I'm Pregnant With My Abuser's Child

  Some abusers use pregnancy as a way to assert control over their victims | Q: My husband has been abusive for the last four years—physically, emotionally and sexual... read more

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  Ask Amanda: Is My Friend in Danger After She Leaves?

  How to make a second safety plan for after you leave your abuser | Q: My best friend is going to leave her abuser soon. She made a safety plan for when she leaves, ... read more