GET HELP

Abuse can take many forms but it always hurts and it is always about power – power the abuser wants to have over you. Abuse can involve insulting remarks, violent outbursts or threats of violence. It can involve forced sex, accusations of cheating or efforts to control your life. There are various types of abuse, from emotional to physical, from financial to sexual, and each type leaves its own kind of scars.

Even if abuse doesn’t leave you with bumps, bruises or worse forms of physical injury, it can crush your spirit, cripple your self-esteem and attack your dignity as a human being. It can leave you feeling afraid and anxious because you never know when your abuser’s next explosion will be.

As an abused woman, you may feel too scared to reach out for help. You may fear for your safety and that of your children. You may fear the impact on your abuser, who may be the father of your children. As, painful as your circumstances are, you may fear venturing out into the unknown.

No matter what your fears are, we urge you to call our Crisis Line for support (see numbers elsewhere on this page). We promise to listen to you with compassion, to help you identify your options and guide you in staying safe.

To gain a deeper understanding of abuse, click on UNDERSTANDING ABUSE.

To find out about the different ways we can help you and how to access this help, click on THE HELP YOU NEED.

To learn about the importance of a Safety Plan and how to prepare one that suits your exact circumstances, click on SAFETY PLAN.

WHY WAIT?

Reaching out for help may be difficult, but like so many women before you, you have the strength within yourself to do it.

Remember, you are reaching out for yourself and for your children whose future you can influence by the choices you make.

With so much at stake, why wait even one more day to reach out for help and to find the hope you need?