Do you wonder if someone else is being abused?

Would you recognize the signs of abuse from a dear or close friend? Many people think that they would be able to do it quickly, but that is not entirely true. Abused women will hide the fact that they are being abused. They will have very logical explanations for some signs of abuse.

It's not going to be easy, but you can be reassured that if you do help - that you will be either thanked forever or never forgiven.

No one came to my aid. No one suspected anything was wrong, not even my family. I had no real friends - there was only his friends and they all believed that beating a woman was okay.

So how do you know if your friend, sister, mother, daughter is in an abusive relationship?

Here are some clues:
1) She may have bruises or marks on her body which she can hide with clothing. If someone is inappropriately dressed for a season ie long sweaters in summer and pants.....this could be a clue.

2) Any bruises that are visible and that she cannot hide, she will offer a very realistic story to account for the marks.
Since bruising yourself can accidentely happen, you will have to be on the lookout for many of the same types of markings that seem to happen too often.

3) Is the person you are concerned about shy, withdrawn, does not wish to discuss aspects of her life. Has her personality changed? Has she become less secure about herself?

4) If you question her on some mark, does she become defensive?

5) Have you observed how the couple interacts with each other? Do you notice that he controls her? Does he finish sentences that she was asked?

6) Control is a big issue with abusers. Have you noticed that the person seems unable to make decisions alone? Does she always give excuses of why she cannot go out at any time? If she does go out, does she seem overly concerned about his reaction if she is late?


These are but a few examples or clues to discovering whether someone you know is being abused. There are many more.


Don't stop trying to help if she does tell you. She will need a lot of support and a lot of good friends.

Be there for her - the reward of helping someone cannot be measured.  You may be the one thing that saved her life.

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