Things You'll Need:
- Courage
- Observation
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Step 1
The first step in recognizing an abusive relationship is to analyze your own feelings about how the abuser makes you feel. Are you constantly nervous, anxious or worried when you are in their presence? Do you fear that you will upset them by offering your own ideas or feelings? People in normal, caring relationships do not live in fear of expressing their thoughts and opinions, nor do they constantly worry about how their significant other will respond. Feelings of uneasiness or dread are warning signs that you may be in an abusive relationship.
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Step 2
Another step in detecting an abusive partner is identifying episodes of verbal and emotional abuse. Name calling, insults, and belittling are not parts of a healthy and happy relationship. Many times, abusers will state that they are “only joking” or “kidding you”, but repetitive acts of verbal and emotional abuse do cause significant psychological harm over time.
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Step 3
Finally, a sure sign of abusive relationships is physical or “hands on” abuse. Hitting or pushing seems to be a very common form of physical and violent abuse. Other examples of physical abuse include pinching, biting, and forced intercourse. These overt acts of violence towards you are not a normal part of a healthy relationship. These violent acts tend to escalate over time and often become worse when the abuser feels that they are losing their control over you.
