How to Identify a Victim of Spousal Abuse

Video Transcript

"Hello. Have you ever considered how to identify a victim of spousal abuse? You may know a friend or family member who is experiencing this. Well, I'm Doctor Felicia and I'd like to share a few tips with you on this matter. Identifying a person in spousal abuse is relatively easy for many reasons. The first thing that you'll see is the person withdraws from the friends that they use to have, perhaps becomes cut off from their family members, and is pretty much left to isolation. Very often, if they're in a relationship, they will even have their car taken away so they don't have mobility to get around during the day. They may become very jumpy and agitated because they are under so much tension. You may see them wear large, dark glasses to cover up a blackened eye, or they may wear excessive make-up to cover up an eye, or they may miss an excessive amount of work days only because they can not be seen in a public space for embarrassment of people identifying them as an abused person. The idea of most women under spousal abuse is that they keep it to themselves and they act very secretive about their business. So, if you're their friend or family member, please be encouraging, please be supportive, please be patient, it's a very complex syndrome to understand, and it usually involves time to heal. Be there for them and that's very important. Thank you. Again, this is Doctor Felicia saying good bye for now."