Domestic violence can affect every part of a survivor’s life.
- Physical: scars, chronic pain, traumatic brain injury (TBI), memory loss, etc.
- Mental: post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts or attempts, alcohol and substance use
- Emotional: inability to trust themselves, low self-esteem, shame, guilt, fear
- Financial: loss of job and/or earning potential, damaged credit, inability to take out loans, homelessness
- Relationships: loss of friendships due to isolation, difficulty trusting future partners, strained relationships with children
💡 Domestic violence is not only about control in the moment—it leaves lasting impacts that shape survivors’ health, choices, and relationships.
However, survivors’ suffering is often made worse by the perception that they must “live in pain for the rest of their lives.” With proper intervention and counseling, survivors can heal and rebuild. That is why it is essential to establish a strong social support system so that survivors are not isolated and can navigate their way forward. This is also why we use the term “survivor” rather than “victim.”
Source: Growing A New Heart. Click the image to view it in full size.
SURVIVOR PROCESS OF MANAGING AND SURVIVING ABUSE
- Hidden (to self first and then with intention)
- Blaming Self
- Fearing for Safety (may feel overwhelmed or helpless)
- Questioning Identity
- Assessing and Discerning what needs to be done across the domains of well-being and with this relationship
- Accepting the Reality of loss of hope for what they had wanted or thought they had
- Working through the pain of loss
- Adjusting to the environment in which this is true
- Finding an enduring meaning in the experience and an emotional/spiritual place for the degree of connection they desire
📖 Source: New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, 한국성폭력상담소, Growing A New Heart.