When persons fully recover from the pain of domestic violence, they no longer need to think of themselves as “victims” or “survivors.” Many such persons now find themselves wanting to help others who are still feeling pain.
Stop Abusive and Violent Environments — SAVE — has created an Online Support Group. The Online Support Group is a place to share questions, feelings, or concerns — and to experience the support and help of others.
If you would like to help others who may be struggling with the challenges you once faced, we invite you to join the Online Support Group here.
If you want to respond to a person’s question, we invite you to consider the following:
1. Respect the person’s ability to make choices. Don’t say, “You have to…” Instead, words like “You might want to consider…” will make the person more receptive to your advice.
2. Provide support by sharing your own experiences — what counselors call “self-disclosure”
3. Realize the person may not want anyone to fix the problem, and is only looking for a place to express their feelings.
4. Avoid comments that promote gender stereotypes.
5. Recognize the person for the progress already made.
6. Never ridicule or criticize the person.
By making SAVE’s Online Support Group a true helping community, we will begin to overcome the cycle of abuse.
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