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The Insidious Nature of Abusive Relationships
So many people don’t realize what abuse looks like from the outside, and I find this increasingly alarming.
“Her? No, I know her. She seems so nice. She couldn’t possibly have been abusive.”
Oh, you know her? But do you know her like I do? Did you live with her, see her physically abuse her kids? Of course not.
“Nah, I know him. I’ve never seen him abuse anybody.”
But did you have an intimate relationship with him? Share finances with him? Have a disagreement with him? Of course you didn’t see it.
Abuse so often exists only in the shadows. Abusive people know how to be on their best behavior when they are around other people. They know not to hit their kids when “company” is visiting (usually). They know not to hit their partners when they’re at the store (usually).
It’s a hard truth to accept the fact that abusive people often have a lot of friends. Abusive people have family members who love them dearly. And yet, they are still abusive to their targets.
This is how abusive people are able to lure people in. Of course abusive people often know how to be charming and fun. Few people enter a relationship with somebody they know to be abusive from the beginning. Abuse is insidious. It creeps in subtly and slowly. If…
