Page 16 - City Life Magazine - Winter 2021

16 Issue 57 • December 2021

SPOTLIGHT ON DOMESTIC ABUSE

Out of the mind maze

Help is at hand if you’re on the receiving end of controlling behaviour.

While Christmas is a time of taken their toll. Nationally life has now moved on to a “When my ex-husband
joy for most of us, it can be domestic violence incidents much better place. came home from work,
a period of stress, anxiety nearly doubled last year, dinner had to be ready
and fear for some families. from 200,000 in 2019 to BREAK FOR FREEDOM and the house had to be
The combination of money 369,000 in 2020. There “I first met my former spotless. No-one was
worries, alcohol and time have been significant rises husband through friends in allowed to talk at the
spent with difficult relatives in Worcester too. Worcester, which is why I dinner table.
can all lead to an increase thought he would be OK.
in underlying coercive, The good news is that “My two older children were
controlling and abusive support is available locally “But he soon became expected to be out of the
behaviour – and a spike in for people who experience very clingy and bossy and way in their bedrooms from
reports of domestic abuse. domestic abuse. Here we was extremely controlling. 6.00pm onwards. My ex
share the story of a brave His abuse was more kicked my eldest son out of
Sadly, the effects of Worcester resident – she mental and emotional the house when he was 16,
lockdowns have also reached out for help and her than physical. He would in his final year at school. He
shout, slam things, call us hated the close relationship
names, give me the silent I had with my daughter and
treatment, put us down and tried to stop us from talking
try and intimidate us. to each other.

“After we got married, he “After twelve years, I had
insisted that we and my two finally reached breaking
children (from a previous point and was no longer
relationship) moved away in denial. My New Year’s
from the area where my resolution was to speak out,
family lived. He didn’t like ask for help and leave with
me having friends and my children.
stopped me from joining
mother and baby groups “I made contact with the
after the birth of our child. DAWN project – a free,

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