Domestic violence victims do not choose to be abused

If you have found yourself in a relationship in which you are on the receiving end of abuse, you may wonder how things went so wrong. After all, in the beginning, everything was wonderful and your partner treated you with love kindness and respect. But now you fear being in his or her presence and you are constantly afraid of saying or doing something that will trigger a verbal or even a physical attack.

And if you have been searching for an explanation as to why things are the way they are, be very careful not to be swayed by common myths. For example, some people believe that victims of abuse were well aware of the danger they were putting themselves in. Moreover, there is a perception that victims have an addiction to the abuse or that they enjoy being abused. Both of these notions are complete falsehoods.

The rationale for such beliefs is that if a victim isn’t getting something he or she wants from the abuse, then why not just leave? Of course, if you are in an abusive relationship you know that leaving would be very unsafe. Abusers are especially dangerous when they sense they are losing control over a partner.

It is critical that you understand that you are not to blame for your current set of circumstances. And once you are able to extricate yourself from the situation, you can begin to heal physically and emotionally. But your exit should be done in the safest manner possible. So when you choose to make your move, you may want to do so with the help of an experienced family law attorney. The attorney can help you create a safety plan and file for a protective order.