Helping People Who Are Being Abused
Even though it’s hard to confront a friend who is being abused, it’s important to let them know that you’re there for them and that they don’t deserve to be abused. Below is a list of ways that you can help someone who is being abused.
- Believe your friend’s story.
- Make sure they’re safe.
- Let them know that they don’t deserve to be abused. No one deserves to be abused. No one “asks for it.”
- Ask them a lot of questions to get them to think about the problem.
Examples:
- Why do you think they gets so jealous?
- Do you think they has a right to decide who your friends are and how you should act around them?
- How does their jealously make you feel?
- How does the abuse make you feel?
- Does they make you feel good about yourself?
- Are you afraid of their anger?
- Ask them what their options are and what they can do (such as stay, leave, talk to their partner about the abuse, get advice from a professional).
- Let them know that abuse almost always gets worse in a relationship if it’s ignored. If the abuse is going to stop, then the person being abused has to be willing to take actions to end it.
- Encourage them to seek help. (Use community and personal resources).
- Remember the Friends Wheel!