Some of the impacts of domestic abuse may include:-
- Feeling Isolated– Being distanced from friends and family which reduces your support system
- Low self-esteem– Due to humiliation, degradation and unrealistic expectations set by your partner or ex-partner.
- Exhaustion– Being mentally and physically drained.
- Injuries– The type and severity of an injury can impact on both short and long term health.
- Hyper-Vigilance– “Walking on egg shells”. Constantly watching for any changes in your partner’s behaviour and monitoring behaviour of self. This type of hyper-vigilance can continue after a relationship ends.
- Debt– Due to having a lack of financial control.
- Mental Ill Health– Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, Self-harm, Substance misuse, Eating disorders, suicide.
- Homelessness– Due to having to flee abuse
- Confusion– Due to “Gas-lighting” behaviour from partner or ex-partner, it can become more difficult to keep in touch with reality.
- Future relationship difficulties - Due to the impact of the abusive relationship, there may be difficulties with trust, boundaries, and knowing what a healthy relationship is. Low sense of self-worth can find women getting into a cycle of abusive relationships.
- Disturbed patterns of sleeping/eating– Sleeping, eating and other basic needs may be controlled by partner of ex-partner.