Home Articles Identifying Abuse

Identifying Abuse

What Is Sexual Coercion?

Just because it’s not rape, doesn’t mean it’s not abuse | Maybe your partner guilted you into it, or just kept asking until you relented. Or maybe he or she purposely ... read more
It's Not Love, It's Love Bombing

Abusers rely on long-term tactics to build up a sense of dependency in their victim | You might not have heard of the term love bombing before, but you may have been t... read more
10 Must-Hear Podcasts on Domestic Violence

Plus, thinking about getting behind the mic? Tips for starting your own | If you haven’t been pulled into a podcast yet, what are you waiting for? Since its launch on ... read more
How Limiting Abortion Rights Keeps Survivors in Danger

As the fate of a woman’s right to choose is under attack, survivors know even a rape exception may not help them | COVID-19 Update: Anti-abortion groups are exploiting... read more
A Narcissistic Abuser Will Never Change

Why no amount of love, counseling or batterer intervention will keep you safe | If you are in a relationship with a narcissistic abuser, hoping for things to change, d... read more
When Masculinity Is Toxic

Traits men learn as boys can be dangerous—to them, and to the women in their lives | We hear a lot about “toxic masculinity” these days—a term often loaded with assump... read more
Are Abusers Narcissists, Psychopaths or Sociopaths?

The differences between these three personality disorders | When describing an abusive partner, the terms narcissist, psychopath and sociopath often get thrown around.... read more
Postpartum Depression Linked to Domestic Violence

New moms experiencing abuse need to find support and a way out | Postpartum depression, or PPD, is a mental health issue that at least 1 in 7 moms struggle with after ... read more
The Silent Treatment: An Abuser's Controlling Tactic

Ignoring another person is a strong communication of power and control | Refusing to listen, talk or respond to a partner is sometimes called “the silent treatment” or... read more
Netflix's You is a Roadmap to Dating Violence

Come for the thrills, stay for the education | If you haven’t yet binge-watched the first season of the Netflix series You, strap in. It’s a riveting psychological thr... read more
How to Ask About Abuse

There’s a right and a wrong way to inquire if you’re concerned | Have you ever gotten an “off” feeling about a friend’s, loved one’s or coworker’s partner? Maybe the s... read more
Helping Hasidic Jews Escape Domestic Violence

Understanding their culture, we can help survivors choose their own path | “When I left my husband so my kids and I could survive, the community left me.” The above q... read more
When Abusers Turn on the Charm

Tricking friends and family into believing they could never be cruel is an abuser’s forte | Who doesn’t love someone who can charm their way through a dinner party wit... read more
The Frightening Roles Abusers Can Play

Which one fits the abuser you’ve dealt with? | You’ve heard people say it’s helpful to put a face to a name, like when you meet someone in person for the first time af... read more
From Romance to Isolation: Understanding Grooming

Anyone can fall for the clever manipulations of an abusive partner | Most relationships that become violent or controlling do not start that way. Rather, they often be... read more