Inspired Forward

Cut Through the Confusion and Chaos to Live a Well-Organized Life

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How to Recognize Domestic Abuse

There are several types of abuse. Some are more common and obvious than others. No matter what, domestic abuse is not your fault, and you can get out.

There are several types of abuse, and throughout the month of March 2019 you’ll be able to find articles on the following types of abuse (links coming soon!):

But first, let’s define what “abuse” actually means.

The word comes from Latin and Old French words that mean “misused” and “to use wrongly.” Basically, something’s happening that shouldn’t be happening! It’s wrong.

If nothing else, the one thing you should always remember is that abuse is NOT your fault. 

Domestic Abuse

When most people think of “domestic abuse” what they’re really thinking is “domestic violence” and don’t think it counts unless there’s physical violence involved.

But that’s not the case at all.

Domestic abuse is not just physical, but that’s the most obvious form.

A husband slapping his wife when he’s angry. A wife beating up on her husband in public.

Both of these are domestic abuse, yet many people don’t recognize the second one as being such. But there are other facets to domestic abuse that don’t involve physical violence.

[Read more…]

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How to Recognize Sexual Abuse

There are several types of abuse, and throughout the month of March 2019 you’ll be able to find articles on the following types of abuse (links coming soon!):

But first, let’s define what “abuse” actually means.

The word comes from Latin and Old French words that mean “misused” and “to use wrongly.” Basically, something’s happening that shouldn’t be happening! It’s wrong.

If nothing else, the one thing you should always remember is that abuse is NOT your fault. 

Sexual Abuse

For a lot of people, this is the hardest one to talk about or even think about. What’s difficult for many people to grasp is that it’s not just women who experience sexual abuse. Men do too, but they’re far less likely to speak up about it because of societal pressure and stigma.

When it happens during childhood, it can affect the entire course of your life. It’s psychologically traumatic. And sometimes the victims blame themselves instead of their abusers.

[Read more…]

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How to Recognize Mental Abuse

There are several types of abuse, and throughout the month of March 2019 you’ll be able to find articles on the following types of abuse (links coming soon!):

But first, let’s define what “abuse” actually means.

The word comes from Latin and Old French words that mean “misused” and “to use wrongly.” Basically, something’s happening that shouldn’t be happening! It’s wrong.

If nothing else, the one thing you should always remember is that abuse is NOT your fault.

Mental Abuse

Also known as psychological abuse, mental abuse is targeted at your mind and your sense of sanity and trust in yourself and others. Like most types of abuse, psychological/mental abuse is intertwined with the rest of them. Experiencing sexual abuse can cause psychological damage, as can domestic abuse and financial abuse.

It’s never fair to say you experience just one when they’re all linked together in some way.

Abuse is abuse. It doesn’t have to be physical to be damaging.

[Read more…]

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How to Recognize Financial Abuse

There are several types of abuse, and throughout the month of March 2019 you’ll be able to find articles on the following types of abuse (links coming soon!):

But first, let’s define what “abuse” actually means.

The word comes from Latin and Old French words that mean “misused” and “to use wrongly.” Basically, something’s happening that shouldn’t be happening! It’s wrong.

If nothing else, the one thing you should always remember is that abuse is NOT your fault. 

Financial Abuse

Financial abuse is one of those things many people don’t think about, especially if one grows up in a household that minimizes the importance of money or teaches their children that it’s okay for the spouse to control the purse strings.

But in a study by the Centers for Financial Security (pdf warning), financial abuse occurs in 99% of domestic abuse cases.

Financial abuse can commonly occur in married couples, but I’ve heard multiple stories of it happening to teenagers and young adults too—any earned money (even when past the age of adulthood) is confiscated or taken to “pay back” the parents for the cost of raising their child.

Now that’s messed up.

[Read more…]

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How to Recognize Emotional & Verbal Abuse

There are several types of abuse. Some are more common and obvious than others. No matter what, emotional & verbal abuse is not your fault.

This month I’m doing something a little different by writing a series of posts under one theme: abuse. There are several types of abuse, and throughout the month of March 2019 you’ll be able to find articles on the following types of abuse (links coming soon!):

But first, let’s define what “abuse” actually means.

The word comes from Latin and Old French words that mean “misused” and “to use wrongly.” Basically, something’s happening that shouldn’t be happening! It’s wrong.

If nothing else, the one thing you should always remember is that abuse is NOT your fault. 

Emotional & Verbal Abuse

“How can you be so stupid? I know we raised you better than that! I can’t believe you actually thought that was a good idea—go to your room. You’re grounded, for life, you worthless, ungrateful fatty.”

[Read more…]