While most of us are familiar with the immediate needs of an abuse survivor (police reports, medical attention and shelter), there is the question of what to do or say in the days after. As a survivor moves towards healing, it is important that they reach out to the right professionals for their tragic situation.
No matter how much you care about the abused person, do not attempt to handle the situation alone. These situations are complicated, and the person you’re caring for needs a hand right away. Although you have good intentions, have patience and remember that your actions could damage the relationship with your loved one in the long run.
Table of Contents
1.Identifying the Kind of Abuse
The first step in helping a survivor of abuse is to be able to identify what kind of abuse is going on. The most common forms of abuse are:
- Physical Abuse: When one partner harms the other physically. It can include punching, choking, and hitting various objects. It can also have more subtle behaviors like pinching, biting, or using physical force against the other partner.
- Sexual Abuse: When one partner forces the other partner into unwanted sexual acts. This can take the form of rape or different kinds of coerced sexual activity. It can also take the form of withholding sex from a partner as a way to control them.
- Emotional Abuse: When one partner tries to control the other through insults, criticism, or humiliation. And while it might be hard to see emotional abuse as a “real” problem, it can cause serious damage to a relationship very quickly (research has shown that emotional abuse is often worse for people than physical and sexual abuse).
Research Professionals for Help
When it comes to helping a survivor of abuse, many different professionals can help and support the survivor during the healing process. Some people may need medical attention, such as a medical doctor or psychologist.
Other people will need to talk to someone about the abuse to look for someone like a counselor or therapist. Still, others might need protection from the abusive partner so that they might look for an advocate in family court, law enforcement, or a personal injuries attorney.
No matter what issues your friend is dealing with, they must find somebody who can help them through the process and help them heal.
Offer tips for reaching those professionals
Many professionals can help a survivor of abuse to regain control of their life. Men and women who have experienced abuse often have to rebuild their lives and sense of self to move forward. These professionals are sometimes tricky to find due to their busy schedules. Therefore if you know any professional or a personal doctor or lawyer who can help get justice for the victim, it’s good to share.
Conclusion
Above all else, survivors of abuse need to know that they are not alone. From there, their next step is to get the right kind of help for their unique case. You can’t expect survivors to locate every resource on their own, and helping them gain access to these resources will be a tremendous support as they begin their journey towards recovery.