Awareness

A – Awareness          C – Connect          T – Take Precautions


It is important to have awareness about violence and that it is not acceptable. Be aware of your own situation, whether you are in an abusive relationship. Many women don’t realise that they are being abused.

Typically, women remain in abusive marriages due to highly complex reasons which occur on many levels and often in combination:

  • Love – There is often still feelings of love as they have a history together. Love/hate, very ambivalent feelings.

  • Hope – There is hope that he will change for the better, especially when he makes promises to change. (Cycle of Abuse)

  • Fear – She may fear being alone or a single parent; that she may not be able to financially provide for the children and will be plagued by poverty because there will not be access to services and family support. She may want her children to grow up with their father.

  • He may threaten to commit suicide if she leaves him or to harm her or the children if they leave him.

  • Shame – She may feel ashamed to let outsiders know about the situation at home. May be a taboo in the culture.

  • Traumatized – She may have been traumatized by the prolonged abuse that she does not have self-assurance and confidence that she can live independently.

  • Guilty – She may believe that she deserves the abuse as the perpetrator has attributed the blame to her