Action Tips: Help Someone Who is Being Abused

Do you have a friend you’re worried about? Maybe you’ve noticed changes in his or her behavior or style. There are obvious signs of dating violence, and there's a lot you can do to help. Try to approach it in a sensitive way. Remember, people are not always ready to accept help. Here are some tips if you think someone you care about is being abused --

Speak Up

Don't be afraid to tell them you are concerned for their safety and want to help them.

Be Sensitive

Acknowledge and try to be understanding of their feelings about their relationship -- remember, many people are in love with their abusers.

At first, they may not take your advice on what to do -- be respectful of their decision and keep being there for them.

Listen

Sometimes the most helpful thing is to just listen and be supportive.

Be There For Them

Encourage them to do things with you, other friends, and family. Get them excited to do things outside of their relationship.

Connect Them to Resources

They may not even realize they are in an abusive relationship. Send them to a website like Break the Cycle or Do Something about Dating Abuse to get the facts.

Help them develop a plan to end their relationship safely. Break the Cycle can help with that too.

Stay With Them

If they break up with the abuser, keep being supportive once they are single. Healing takes time, but hanging out with friends is a great way to move forward after a bad break-up.

Need help NOW? Make the call.


Take Action

people have done this…

  1. Let us know if you're going to do this...
    If you aren't logged into dosomething.org, you have to enter your email address before clicking this.
  2. Email a friend about this idea.
  3. Find more info on other causes:
  4. Violence Against Women: 1/3 of American women and 1/4 of women worldwide will experience domestic/dating violence in their lifetime.

Comments

i was goin through dis i got help from a friend who is now goin through im jus here to say im goin 2 help n stop ABUSE

I have a friend who went through this, I noticed changes in her social habits and she gained alot of weight. She also was diagnosed with bipolar syndrome. Finally after almost a year of dating this guy, he broke up with her. She should have done it herself ages ago, but I am so glad it's over.

i whent through this. and now i want to reach out and help!!!

I've recently found out that my friend had been in an abusive relationship. Although she has left him and is doing better, a part of me wonders how people around her could have missed it. How no one tried to do anything. I'm glad that DoSomething.org is talking about this so that others can know what to do when a friend needs help. I am definitely going to remain involved in this so that I can reach out and help someone.

My best friend..was in a abusive relationship..a sexual one. she didn't want a sex relationship she wanted a real relationship he pressured her everytime they were together..i helped her..she wouldn't listen so it got worse he pressured and finally verbally abused her. all the time. he told her that she was crap and should just die. I began helping her and getting mad with him so i let her mom know. it was the best thing..now she dumped him and is through with abuse. I encourage EVERYONE to get involved.

If anyone is interested please go to our club project page at:

http://www.dosomething.org/project/speak-up-speak-out-break-silence-dati...

We are hosting an awareness day at the Shoppes of Grand Prairie on May 9th in Peoria, IL. We would love to have as many of you there as possible.

Thanks!

I have been in one of these relationships and I helped my best friend get through one. So I would love to help any one who needs it.

i went through this hell for a year, beating me, cussing me out, calling me names, telling me what i could and coudln't do & worst of all got me addicted to drugs. i lived with him which made thigns alot better but after i went to jail because of him twice and have a felony charge against me i finally let go. no matter how much he needed me or how much i thought i needed him. i realized my life is totally worth getting away from him. i haven't talked to him in a couple weeks hes in jail now and i hope he stays there for awhile. im drug free now and abuse free i wanna share my story so that hopefully girls or guys going through this will listen and leave someone who does any of this too you. i wanna stop abuse now. :]

i know a friend that was in a abusive relatoinship and he got to mad one night and she is in therapy 5 times a week and still has not recovered from the beating i don`t want it to happen agian to somone else

My mother went through abuse for 13 years, my brothers and sister went to stay with their dad but mine wasn.t around so i was with my mom every step of the way i have seen some terrible things n life i really just want peace for myself and all of u

I SEE A LOT OF ABUSE IN RELATIONSHIPS ESPECIALLY TOWARDS WOMEN, I MYSELF AM A MALE WHO WAS ABUSED BY A FEMALE ONCE, SHE HAD ABUSED MY MOM, ME, MY WHOLE FAMILY BY THREATENING US, & DEMANDING THAT I DONT BREAK UP WITH HER OR SHE WILL KILL MY FAMILY, ON THE SIDE WHEN I WAS AROUND HER, SHE WOULD HIT ME, BITE ME, & SHE ENDED UP STABING ME NEARLY KILLING ME....I AM A VICTIM & I ACTED SMART WHEN THINGS GOT UNBELIEVABLE....I DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT & RESOLVED THE PROBLEM....I CALLED THE POLICE, EVEN THO THEY NEEDED MORE PROOF OF WHAT SHE WAS DOING.....AFTER I CALLED SO MANY DAYS & SO MANY TIMES....THEY HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO BELIEVE ME & I WAS FREE & SAVED FROM THIS TRAGEDY, I WANT TO HELP OTHERS WHO MIGHT BE IN THE SAME MESS AND/OR HAVE IS LESS PAINFUL OR MORE PAINFUL THEN I DID....ANY TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP ABUSE, IM WILLING TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT...TO ALL MY FRIENDS I AM CONSIDERED A PERSON THEY CAN TALK TO IF A BOYFRIEND OR GIRLFRIEND BECOMES ABUSIVE BUT I DONT HAVE MUCH MALE FRIENDS SO I MOSTLY FOCUS ON WOMEN WHO ARE GETTING ABUSED IN A RELATIONSHIP OR IS BEING TREATED BAD IN OTHER WAYS.....I AM HERE TO TALK TO PEOPLE ALWAYS.

i was friends with this person for years and his wife beat him down mentally...it got to the point that he was so depressed he felt the only way out of his misery was to end his life. last week he did...now his wife thinks all her problems are gone because he is out of the picture. truth is the abuser is my "cousin"...the victim was like a brother not a friend. violence is a plague and seems to be spreading all over the world faster everyday.

I've known 6 people being abused in relationships. and I've helped 2 out. but I never really knew how until I found DoSomething and it's helped me, help others.

I am not sure if my friend is in an abusive relationship, this guy openly has another girlfriend and when she askes about her he gets really upset and starts getting mad and makes it seem like its her falt he has another girlfriend, she has very low self esteem now because of him and she says he makes her really happy even though i can tell she isnt and she has an issue with cutting herself and i think an eating disorder now, i am not sure if this is an abusive relationship, but i know he isnt good for her because he is giving her self-esteem issues, when i want to talk to her about him she says he is too perfect and she isnt so there is nothing to say
this isnt the friend i know, she refuses help and she will never leave him, i feel like there is nothing i can do because she claims that he is the best thing that has ever happened to her and refuses any advice, i am really at a loss

i want to help people that are going through abuse because i know someone who had to go through that and till this day they are afraid to tell someone about this and i want them to know people are here to listen to them

I went through this. I actually got pregnant by this guy who would hit me. He raped me. He is jail now. SO it stopped right away when he got arrested. I want to help girls who have gone through some of the same stuff I have.

so i have this friend and who is in a relationship and i don't know if it is abusive or not but he has cheated on her 5 times with all different girls and he told her to her face and she didn't care when ever she sees him the next day or so she always has a new bruise she clams that it is from someone else but the other person said they never touched her and he always wantes to know who she is with where she is at what she is doing why she is doing it ect. also she didn't want to have sex with him but she did and she clams that she wanted to but idk because she always told me that she wanted to wait until marriage and when ever i bring it up to her she changes the subject i want to help but i dont know how or to even find out if she is abusing him anyone have any ideas???

i was being discriminated cause i am not from usa originally and this ruined my life so many times and i want to help anyone in my place and been treated same way

i am appreciated that i came across this website. it is a really great source/indicator to those who have experienced an abusive relationship. I was involved sadly to say. it was very i meen very very hard to let go of this relationship. i felt scared, i could not sleep at night, i felt i was going to get beat to death..it was just a horrible feeling especially knowing that I as a victim was truly faithful. Its very sad, i went through 2 years being abused. the only way i let go was by putting a restraining order and moving out of town. he would show up at my moms threating that he was going to kill him self if i wouldnt come back. girls if youve been a situation like this..please i encourage you do please let go, change your number, live somewhere else..somewhere where he cannot get a hold of you. we were together for soo many years..5 years total..the last 2 in college was him thinking i would cheat on him, in reality it was the other way around. If a boy wants to go through your phone wanting to see if u do talk to other guys.. that starts it all..without trust girls theres not a good relationship! jeliousy to me is simply the devil. becareful ya'll make the right choices..encourage those that are in abusive relationship please let go..its not worth but just problems..get ur education and i guarantee you will find the right mate in college..god bless!

i have a cousin whose being abused but she doenst wan t anyone to really know.how do i tell her or help her get out of this abusive relationship?

I'VE KNOWN PEOPLE TO GET ABUSED THROUGH OUT THEIR MARRIAGES AND RELATIONSHIPS. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I WOULD AGREE WITH. I THINK IT'S VERY SICK, AND THE PEOPLE IN THIS SITUATION NEEDS TO SPEAK UP AND GET HELP.

Way to go! I just found this page and I love it! I admire you for not being afraid of what your friend might think of you and just helping her.
-grizzlie475

I have gone threw this and have a father that still does this! I refuse to let any other women I know go threw this!

No one should take abuse from anyone, no matter how close to you they are!! You have the rights to feel safe and not be abused. Children need help to stop abuse against them and gain a voice to keep themselves safe and away from their abusers.

when i was younger than i am now i was in an abusive situation with this boy that i liked.He was like the boy of my dreams until one day he hit me, now i fought back but he was really stronger than me. I told my mom but she really didnt do anything but told me to fight back, so i did the right way and wrong way lol. seriously i broke up with him a few weeks after i had sex with him because i couldnt take it anymore ever since then i still dont speak to him. If anyone need someone to talk to i am here.

you can send me a message at [email removed by admin]

how can i join in so i can help people with this issue

If any one is interested in becoming apart of a domestic violence club check out this website birthingimperishablediamonds.webs.com and sign up

If anyone ever brake up with at friend, that person should always bring it up to a friend or family member. it is not good for a person to keep it to themself because thinking about it would upset them even more

i need advice, a friend of mine is in a very abusive relationship. she is always getting beaten, sometimes very badly, she for some reason keeps going back to him. i want to know how in the world we can convince her for good to leave this pos permanently.

I have a friend who is going through the same thing and no matter what happens I'm going to be there for her if she needs help

Welcome to Beats By Dre UK online shop. There are more many new arrivals here. the most professional GHD Hair Straighteners NZ outlet, we offer the kinds of GHD Hair Straighteners. Ugg Boots Canada is a brand that is all about luxury and comfort for everyday life. Beats By Dre has the most complete line of high performance cables, power protection, mounts, and more for the best home theater experience. the latest GHD Hair NZ always attract the attention of many women. Only the finest quality materials are used to create UGG shoes and Ugg Boots Sale. You can enjoy your wonderful life with Monster Headphones. What's more, You can rest assured that the GHD NZ here are all with approved quality, designed for the women who want beautiful salon-perfect hair every day. Cheap Uggs is the largest distributor of sheepskin footwear. Cheap Beats By Dre is the center of your entertainment world. As the top hair straighteners brand, GHD Hair Straighteners's can always smooth your hair and creat luscious curls, twirls or flicks. Every shoe will feel great from the moment you put it on, year after year from Uggs Online Outlet.

Related Projects

The Polo Ground's Youth Conference

The problem that I am trying to solve is the...

No More Tears

NO MORE TEARS is a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit...

The Columbus Angels Community Project

We are a team of models looking to inspire others...

Start a Club

Clubs

Start A Do Something Club!

Grab 4 or more friends and take action in your community! We'll give you tons of resources to help you get started and easy project ideas to make a difference at your school. More