We often hear from people who want to help, and we understand it can be frustrating to see someone you care about being mistreated. Even harder still is feeling helpless to intervene.

Leaving an abusive relationship is a complicated process. Leaving is often the most dangerous time for someone experiencing abuse, as leaving means they are trying to regain control and power back over their own lives.

Threats and intimidation are crucial elements in an unhealthy or abusive relationship
and are powerful ways to control you and make you feel powerless and afraid. This can include verbal abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse or social abuse, etc.

Controlling behaviour is a way for the perpetrator to maintain dominance over you. It is often subtle, almost always insidious, and pervasive. They will often try and monitor everything another does, offline and online, in order to restrict their access to support and help.