“Just leave him.” It’s what they always say when they spot the bruise on your arm or notice the hastily applied make-up on your cheek. If only it were that easy.
Your friends are right; you do need to get out of your abusive relationship. Domestic violence is not okay. It is not normal. Yet, five years after he first hit you, you are still there.
It’s common — many women put up with domestic violence for far too long. If you are reading this blog, if you have come to our website, that’s a good sign. It means you have realized this cannot go on. Think about why you are still there, and we can help you find a solution. Here are some reasons people stay in an abusive relationship, see if any apply to you:
- You believe you can change him: No one can change another person. People have to change themselves.
- You think you are protecting your daughter: You’re not. Maybe you are scared he will take it out on her if he does not take it out on you, but consider what you are teaching her. She is growing up watching you stay quiet; learning that being beaten is normal. Your actions are teaching her how to behave if someone abuses her.
- You think you deserve it: You don’t, but you would not be the first woman to think you do. Making you think you deserve it is one of the tactics abusers you to keep you.
- You are too scared to leave: We can help you get a restraining order to keep him away from you and your daughter. Yes, going is scary, but there is help available.
- You cannot afford to leave: Lack of money is the principal reason women remain in abusive relationships. Yet many women have escaped, and they have managed. The question is not can you afford leave, but can you afford to stay?
If you want to talk, we are listening. We have helped many Denver women escape domestic violence. We can help you too.