A woman needs to talk to people who can help. Good friends can lend support and guidance. Organizations that are devoted to women's concerns and not bound by society's traditions can assist her. They might help her explore her options in new ways. Emergency shelters for women, hotlines, women's organizations, social service agencies, community mental health centers, and hospital emergency rooms are all possible sources of support. Above all, a woman has to determine her own best course of action. Positive measures such as confiding in a relative on whom she can depend, talking seriously with a trusted friend, or consulting with a sympathetic counselor are steps in the right direction. With the help of informal and formal help sources, including individual counseling for the husband as well as herself, a woman maybe able to bring an end to the problem. It has been observed that abused women need to develop better feelings about themselves--that is, change their self-image. In her book "Stopping Wife Abuse," Jennifer Baker-Fleming says the following attitudes are positive and useful:
- I am not to blame for being beaten and abused.
- I am not the cause of another's violent behavior.
- I do not like it or want it.
- I do not have to take it.
- I am an important human being.
- I am a worthwhile woman.
- I deserve to be treated with respect.
- I do have power over my own life.
- I can use my power to take good care of myself.
- I can decide for myself what is best for me.
- I can make changes in my life if I want to.
- I am not alone. I can ask others to help me.
- I am worth working for and changing for.
- I deserve to make my own life safe and happy.
(source: National Institute of Mental Health)
This page last modified Sunday, March 11, 2007
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