Gaslighting. Most of us have heard the term before. Many use it regularly. Some of us have been its victims. But what is gaslighting? How does it play out in real life? How do you know if you or someone you love is being gaslighted? What is gaslighting? The dictionary definition of gaslighting is…
Today, we are sharing a story from a brave woman, named Crystal (a pseudonym to protect her privacy). In abuse cases, victims often say that the covert emotional abuse was much worse than any other form of violence that occurred. It is common that the honeymoon phase Crystal experienced in the beginning happens before the…
In our last blog, we discussed how RZIM’s varied responses to allegations that Ravi Zacharias, a prized, powerful and lucrative member of their team who had sexually violated and abused multiple women during his life and ministry, were at first abusive and then later, after RZIM completely changed its approach, healing. Today, we describe what…
If only I knew what I was going to hear before the phone rang and I decided to pick it up. I wonder if I would have answered; if only I had known. Within minutes, I realized that this was a conversation I did not want to have; in fact, I was not at all…
The thing with covert emotional abuse is that the tactics used by the one causing harm are tactics we see in many of our relationships, even those that are not abusive. And so it can be very confusing to those within the abusive relationship as well as those hearing about it from the outside. Minimization,…
Craig’s story reminds us…men can be victims of abuse. Like women, they find themselves in sexually, emotionally, or physically abusive relationships. But coming out about the abuse for a man is exceedingly difficult as you will see from Craig’s story. Although he experienced physical, sexual and covert emotional abuse by his wife, when he disclosed…
Did you know that abuse does not discriminate? It can happen to anyone: to him, her, or they. Children, teens, adults and the elderly all can be victims of abuse. Violence happens in intimate partnerships, parent-child relationships, within the workplace, at church or school, and among teens who date. There is no minimum age requirement…
In 2020, Jessica Simpson released her memoir “Open Book”. In her life account, she divulges her struggles throughout her past. She speaks openly about her battle against drugs and alcohol addiction fueled by the unaddressed sexual abuse she experienced as a little girl. There are multiple inspiring elements of Simpson’s story. However, one aspect that…
When someone you love is in an abusive relationship, the impact of that relationship affects everyone in their circle, including you. You may not see the abuse or even realize that what you do see is abuse so much as you feel that something is “off.” It is particularly difficult to spot an abusive relationship…
Abuse in relationships does not always look like hitting or name-calling. Frequently, abuse is much more subtle than that, and can slowly wedge a divide between couples, digging deeper into the victim day by day. This is what is called “Covert Emotional Abuse (CEA)” and “Dismissing” is one of the tactics covert abusers use to…
