Too often, an unhappy partner will cross the line and become an abuser. A study by the NCVAD found that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men throughout the US have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. Those numbers are even higher in California. The forced isolation and economic hardships of the Covid pandemic have also contributed to increased levels of relationship abuse.
Mariposa Center, a treatment and recovery center in the city of Orange, has been working to end relationship abuse and help victims since we opened our doors in 1997. Helping the broader community identify signs of relationship abuse is a crucial component of that mission.
Identifying Signs of Relationship Abuse
Novelist Leo Tolstoy’s book Anna Karenina begins by saying that “Happy families are all alike, but every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” This statement’s veracity is open to debate, but it’s certainly true that unhappy relationships can take on many damaging and destructive characteristics.
Relationship abuse can take any number of forms and isn’t always easy to spot. Abusers who want to maintain control of their partner’s situation may even take steps to hide their actions or demand their victim’s silence.
Signs of relationship abuse include:
- Verbal or physical abuse by a partner
- Threats or intimidation, including threats against children or other family members
- Forced sexual activity and disregarding others’ desire for such activity
- Controlling or codependent behavior
- Publicly shaming or harassing the victim
- Preventing interactions with others, such as seeing family or going to work
- Last one.
Exiting an abusive relationship can be a frightening and emotional process, for both the victim and the victim’s loved ones. If you are in or aware of an abusive relationship, local resources are available to help you identify the best way out of an abusive situation.
How Mariposa Center is Standing Up Against Relationship Abuse
Mariposa Center is helping to end relationship abuse in Orange County by guiding survivors through the recovery process. That typically begins with piecing together the past, identifying wounds, healing them, and embracing a better and brighter future.
Each step in that process requires reassurance, safety, and support. Rebuilding a positive outlook is impossible without a willingness to trust.
Through a combination of individual counseling, support groups, and proprietary programs, Mariposa counselors have transformed thousands of lives by helping women and men break the trauma cycle and end their abusive relationships.
“Recognizing and exiting an abusive relationship is an incredible undertaking, but it’s also just the beginning of the recovery journey. Mariposa’s counselors provide guidance through the emotional challenges that follow and help survivors build the resilience they need to live full lives again.”
– Megan Mallon, LCSW; Mariposa Community Counseling Program Director
Mariposa Center also partners with leading local organizations and mental health professionals to offer a wide array of support services to Orange County’s women, men, and families. Our mission continues today because of the generous support our donors and community provide.
