What is an Abusive Relationship?

Many of us have heard the term abusive relationship. But what exactly is it? An abusive relationship is one in which one partner physically or psychologically abuses the other. Most people are well aware that physical abuse by a partner or spouse is abusive behaviour. However, emotional abuse can also come in the form of verbal or mental abuse. In fact, emotional abuse is also commonly referred to as spousal abuse or dating abuse.

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There are many different forms of abusive relationships. The most common is intimate Partner Violence, which includes acts such as sexual assault, rape, forcing someone to undergo an unwanted pregnancy, forcing someone to do illegal or dangerous acts, forcing someone to leave home or school, or forcing someone to submit to humiliating or demeaning sexual acts. In addition, there are also various types of non-sexual forms of violence.

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Sadly, most of these cases go unreported due to embarrassment or fear. One of the best ways to ensure that victims of this type of abuse receive appropriate assistance is to ensure that they talk to a professional counsellor, who can provide them with a comprehensive assessment and recommend appropriate therapy and counselling options, as well as legal recourse if appropriate.