Getting yelled at, feeling worthless, seeking an escape; a significant other aggravatingly pushes their partner onto the couch, spewing degrading words and curses in a fit of rage. While the significant other prepares to leave the house for good, the partner saunters over, blocking access to the door and begging for immediate forgiveness to which the victim complies.
Unfortunately, many individuals live this reality. Abusive relationships are extremely dangerous and it is important for people to remain cautious and aware of any red flags that show signs of toxic, unhealthy behavior.
Often, a man or woman stays involved in their relationship with a companion because of an excessive amount of trust. They trust that when their significant other apologizes or promises an incident will never happen again, that the relationship is healthy and all issues are resolved.
This trust becomes problematic when the partner repeatedly acts the same or makes decisions that negatively impact their significant other.
In Nina Bahadur’s HuffPost article “#WhyIStayed Stories Reveal Why Domestic Violence Survivors Can’t ‘Just Leave,” Bahadur writes about people who have previously been involved in unhealthy affairs and who posted about their relationships on Twitter.
In one of these tweets tagged with #WhyIStayed, a woman spoke about the trust she had in her husband despite several red flags.
“#whyistayed Because when he said he was sorry, I trusted that meant it wouldn’t happen again. Again. Again. Again. Again.,” a user wrote on Twitter in 2014.
Some people experience domestic violence from their partner which can include threats, physical abuse and an imposed feeling of worthlessness.
“An estimated one in four women and one in seven men will experience domestic violence in their lifetimes—and most instances of intimate partner violence are never reported,” Bahadur said. “On average, a victim leaves their abuser seven times before staying away for good.
When threatened, men and women may feel tied down and want to escape from their relationship. Some companions who have attempted to walk out the door have been bombarded by their spouse who blocks the doorway and threatens to hurt a special person or pet.
Bahadur included one woman’s tweet that demonstrates how real this experience can become from some people
“He’d shot my dog,” the woman tweeted. “Said I’m next if I threaten to leave him again. Victim 75% more likely to be killed if she leaves.”
Additionally, some partners have felt worthless in the face of abuse. Especially since some men and women don’t have much experience with dating, many people are not aware of what a healthy relationship encompasses.
Abusive relationships can be incredibly difficult to escape from. Remember to remain cautious and aware of any signs that signal danger or a toxic relationship.