Abuse is a term that refers to the mistreatment, harm, or infliction of injury on someone, either through physical, emotional, verbal, sexual, or other means. Abuse can occur in various contexts, including relationships, families, institutions, and broader social settings. It is a serious violation of an individual’s rights and can have profound and lasting effects on their physical, emotional, and psychological well-being.
When I began documenting what had happened to me, I made a promise to myself. No stone would be left unturned. Every document would be preserved. Every photograph. Every medical record. Every psychological assessment. Every email. Every text message. Every WhatsApp conversation. Every witness. Every piece of evidence. If it is relevant, it deserves to… Read More No Stone Left Unturned
Choosing the right lawyer may be one of the most important decisions you make after leaving an abusive relationship. Not every lawyer has experience dealing with cases involving coercive control, domestic abuse, complex trauma or long-term patterns of psychological harm. While many are excellent family lawyers, your case may require someone who understands far more… Read More Finding the Right Lawyer for Your Abuse Case
For many perpetrators, the divorce decree or financial settlement feels like the final chapter. They believe the marriage is over, the paperwork has been signed, and they have escaped accountability. They assume that because the relationship has legally ended, the abuse has been buried with it. But for some survivors, that is not the end… Read More When They Think They’ve Got Away With It
One of the biggest misconceptions about domestic abuse is that once the divorce is final and the financial settlement has been agreed, everything is over. It isn’t. A divorce legally ends a marriage. A financial settlement divides assets and resolves financial claims between spouses. Neither necessarily addresses the physical, emotional or psychological harm caused by… Read More Can You Still Take Your Abuse Case to Court After the Divorce and Financial Settlement?
For generations, domestic abuse was often viewed as a “private family matter.” Unless there were visible injuries, many survivors were dismissed, disbelieved, or told to simply “work things out.” Today, the courts are beginning to recognise a truth that survivors have always known: abuse leaves wounds that cannot always be seen. A recent Canadian court… Read More The Hidden Wounds of Domestic Abuse: Why Justice Must Recognise More Than Bruises
The case is significant not only because of the extreme violence described, but because the court recognized that long-term intimate-partner violence can justify a substantial civil damages award. Justice Susan Vella of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice awarded the woman $400,000 in damages after a nine-day trial. The decision followed a 54-year marriage in which the judge found… Read More Landmark Canadian domestic-abuse judgment.
When people think of domestic abuse, they often picture shouting, threats, or physical violence. What is less recognised is financial abuse—a form of coercive control that can quietly erode a person’s independence, confidence, and future over many years. Financial abuse isn’t simply about one partner earning more than the other. It is about using money as a… Read More When Financial Abuse Is Hidden in Plain Sight
One of the most painful experiences for survivors of domestic abuse is hearing someone close to them say: “I doubt he’ll kill you.” It may be intended as reassurance, but to someone living with abuse, those words can feel dismissive, minimising, and dangerously out of touch with reality. The truth is that relatives, friends, and… Read More “I Doubt He’ll Kill You” – Why Well-Meaning Relatives Can Get It Wrong
One of the most astonishing aspects of abusive relationships is not always the abuse itself. Sometimes it is what happens afterwards. An abusive partner may deny everything, rewrite history, invent elaborate stories, and even swear under oath that their version of events is the truth. They may accuse their victim of lying, exaggerating, or being… Read More When an Abuser Invents a Story Under Oath… Then Expects You to Take Them Back
One of the most confusing experiences for many people in abusive relationships is finally finding the courage to reach out to their partner’s family, only to be met with silence, denial, insults, or even blame. You hope someone will listen. You hope someone will say, “We had no idea. How can we help?” Instead, your message… Read More When You Reach Out to the Family… and Are Met With Silence or Hostility
Linda C J Turner | Trauma Therapist & Emotional Healing Specialist 