The Effects of an Abusive Relationship

Victims of relationship abuse don't just carry physical injuries. Abuse has numerous affects on nearly every aspect of a survivor's life. These affects have far-reaching implications, often affecting her employment, other relationships and mental and emotional well-being. It's not just adult women who suffer these effects. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, 25 percent of adolescents reported experiencing some type of abuse, either physical, emotional, verbal or sexual. Because abuse effects women so deeply, understanding these effects and seeking safe ways to end abusive relationships are crucial to the health, wellness and survival of victims of relationship abuse.

Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Dependence

According to The National Women's Health Information Center, depression commonly accompanies abuse. This depression can stem from verbal, physical, emotional or sexual abuse. Abuse often triggers feelings of shame, helplessness, panic, regret and fear. Many women feel unable to overcome or escape abuse due to threats of violence or loss of resources and feel trapped and hopeless. Women who have experiences abuse are often diagnosed with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and suicidal ideation, according to a report called "Women, Domestic Violence and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder" published by the Sandiego State University Department of Health and Human Services School of Social Work. PTST has a wide range of symptoms, from anxiety to flashbacks to sleeplessness to nightmares and depression. There is also a strong correlation between abused partners with PTSD and increased rates of drug and alcohol dependence.

Dimished Self-Esteem

Women who continually face abuse may blame themselves. They may feel on some level that they deserve this abuse, that that asked for it some way. They may also believe verbal abuse they've heard. For example, it's common for verbal abusers to try to make their partners feel worthless, powerless, dumb, unattractive and incompetent as parents, partners and homemakers. After a while, abused women may believe these things to be true. This low self-esteem helps abusers keep their victims under control.

Poverty

Many women who suffer abuse at the hands of their relationship partners also experience poverty. One reason for this poverty is that abusive partners often isolate and control their partners, preventing them from earning their own income and having access to family resources. According to Deborah Satyanathan and Anna Pollack, authors of "Domestic Violence and Poverty," women in abusive partnerships also often lack access to affordable housing and legal representation that would help them escape their situation. Women who are able to work outside the home may suffer poor work performance and frequent absenteeism due to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or frequent injury. Abusive partners may still control the money and resources of employed partners, or may sabotage their ability to work through injury, manipulation or restricted access to transportation.