What is Abuse?: A Break the Silence program on identifying coercive and controlling behaviour

This book is the first in the be abuse aware series and used by Domestic Abuse Charities as part of there work to help individuals, professionals, and families understand what covert and controlling behavior is, and how it is maintained. It can also be used as a self-help study guide to help you understand the need for power, control, and identifying coercive and controlling tactics used by perpetrators of domestic abuse. Society's understanding of abuse is still very limited. Many emotionally healthy people simply cannot understand why a victim would put up with such behavior and some struggle to comprehend abuse that isn't physical or identity who was the abuser and who was the victim. Use this book to cut through the lies and manipulation of perpetrators of domestic abuse.

Warning Signs of Abuse:
These signs don’t always mean abuse is happening and could just be normal behaviour:

1. Have they become withdrawn from friends, family and/or school? Showing personality changes, like low self-esteem in someone who was always confident
2. Are their friends/family or work reporting worrying changes in behaviour, academic achievement or attendance?
3. Have they lost interest in positive activities such as sports clubs or socialising. Skipping out on work, school, or social outings for no clear reason,
4. Excuses for injuries or wearing clothes that don’t fit the season, like long sleeves in summer to cover bruises,
5. Constantly checking in with their partner or being overly worried about pleasing their partner,
6. Never having money on hand,
7. Wearing clothes that don’t fit the season, like long sleeves in summer to cover bruises.

Abuse is often such a vicious personal attack upon the victim, that they are left mentally broken. Identifying and validating the abuse is pivotal to allow victims to start the process of moving on, as well as being fully aware of what is right and wrong for any future relationships. Victims are often isolated and dependent on their abuser. Survivors are often unable to make sense of what has happened, confused, and traumatized.

This program booklet will allow the reader to better understand abuse, safeguard, and inform victims and survivors alike, helping them and yourself gain the knowledge and understanding to identify who is the victim, and who is the perpetrator of the abuse.

Please note this book has not been associated with Break the Silence since 1st January 2022.