Getting help if you’ve been the victim of abuse

It would be wonderful to think that we could all lead a long, happy and healthy life. But unfortunately, that’s not always the case. It’s a sad and shocking fact that an estimated 2.3 million adults experienced some form of abuse in the year ending March 2020. Abuse can come in many different forms and can happen to absolutely anybody from any walk of life.

What counts as abuse?

There are so many different types of abuse that it’s impossible to list them all here, but some of the most common forms of abuse are:

• Domestic abuse
• Physical abuse
• Financial abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Psychological abuse

With any kind of abuse, the victim is under some kind of harm or distress caused by the perpetrator. It can sometimes be difficult for victims of abuse to spot the signs and recognise that they are being abused, particularly if the levels of abuse slowly increase over a prolonged period of time.

What can you do if you suspect you or someone else is the victim of abuse?

Recognising that somebody is being abused can be really tricky. Often, the signs are very subtle and the abuse is unlikely to happen in public. There are some common signs to look out for though, although these will vary depending upon the type of abuse:

• Is the victim becoming withdrawn?
• Have they lost control of their finances?
• Are there unexplainable bruises?
• Are texts and phone calls constantly monitored?
• Has the potential victim started to dress differently?

These are very broad things to look out for, but often the signs of abuse can go undetected by the outside world for a long time. In fact, abusers can be so clever about the way they abuse their victims that to the outside world the relationship may look to be a very happy and settled one.

If you do suspect that you or someone you know may be the victim of abuse, then you may feel a little anxious about getting involved. It’s only natural to worry that you’re overthinking things and that there may not be any abuse at all. Or, if you are right to be concerned, you may be worried about making things worse. There are lots of different abuse charities set up specifically to help in these situations, and it’s a really good idea to get in touch with one. You can find a list of these on the gov.uk website. These charities will be able to help you to work out what to do to help the victim.

Moving on from abuse

Being the victim of abuse can have a hugely negative impact on lives but it is possible to move forward. Abuse charities and medical professionals can help victims to come to terms with what’s happened and help them to move on to develop healthy relationships in the future. Victims of abuse can also be eligible for compensation which can really help them to make the most of their lives going forward. There are companies that specialise in abuse claims who can make the whole process stress free. Money can’t make everything magically better, but many victims of abuse suffer a loss of income or a loss of confidence which can impact their jobs, so some financial compensation can make a huge difference.

*This is a collaborative post.