Saturday, March 31, 2012

getting out my soapbox

A little bit of relationship advice for anyone who needs it:
Does your partner:
  • insult you in public or private?
  • check up on where you've been and whom you've talked to?
  • criticize your family and friends?
  • pressure or force you to have sex when you don't want to?
  • limit where you can go and what you can do?
  • tell you jealousy is a sign of love?
  • prevent you from leaving the house, getting a job or continuing your education?
  • destroy your belongings?
  • make accusations that you are having an affair?
  • touch you in a way that hurts or frightens you?
  • harm, scare, or threaten you or your children?
IF you answered YES to any of these questions you could be a victim of domestic abuse and you need to GET HELP NOW!

When I saw this earlier this week on a friend's Facebook wall, I was instantly transported back to a time when I felt completely powerless to help a close friend who was struggling with some of these issues in her relationship with someone who appeared to most people to be a kind, generous, thoughtful man. Thankfully I've never experienced abuse in my own relationships, but I am empathetic toward those who have. And being on the outside, watching someone you care about suffer for falling in love with someone who isn't capable of a trusting, loving relationship is hard to do. But I've found it's always better to speak up or ask questions than to stand by and say nothing.

None of the things above are love. Remember that. Pass the word.

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