Topic Monday: Domestic Violence Series –Protective Strategies Victims Use
Last week we discussed coping mechanisms victims used in an abusive relationship. Along those same lines, victims often find ways to protect themselves or their children from an outburst of violence.
Some of these are:
- Fighting back or defying the abuser
- Sending children to a family member or neighbor’s home
- Leaving a relationship
- Complying or placating the abuser
- Lying about the abuse to others to prevent retaliation
- Staying in the relationship to appease the abuser
- Manipulating the abuser
- Escape into his/her own reality
- Trying to improve the relationship
- Refusing to discuss the abuse for fear of making it worse
- Minimizing or denying the abuse
- Finding help for the abuser
- Lying to the abuser in order to survive
- Abusive substances to numb the pain
- Refuse to follow through with counseling or other services that might help
- Dropping out of church, work and other obligations to make the abuser happy
What other protective strategies can you think of?
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