Date rape drugs: What are they? By Britt (Le bonheur*) Sometimes rape or sexual assault is assisted by drugs that are slipped into a drink when you’re not looking. Most of the drugs do not have a specific taste, color, or smell. Therefore, it’s very difficult to determine if your drink has been drugged before you take another sip. There are three well-known drugs that are commonly used: Rohypnol, Gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), and Ketamine. Rohypnol Rohypnol (roofies) is a...

Forgiving an Abuser By Ellie You may feel ready to forgive your abuser now, or you may feel as though you should read through this article. Leave and think about it for awhile, and come back when you're ready. Whether or not you forgive your abuser is your choice; there is no obligation. This is part of your personal recovery; though you may not have felt in control whilst you were in the abusive situation, you are in control now. This article will provide some steps to deal with what...

Protecting yourself from abusive individuals By Robin (PSY) Most of us have been confronted by another person, either physically or verbally. As scary as those moments can be, the events following the confrontation can be even more frightening. What do you do when someone continuously harasses or threatens you? Is there anything you can do to stop your abuser, even if they haven't physically harmed you? The simple answer is yes! There are several steps you can take to make someone ...

Having Unfair Expectations of the Child We Once Were By CanadaCraig If you were abused in some way when you were a child - that abuse was being understood by you AS a child. And if you are now 15 years old it is UNFAIR of you to try to apply your 'adult logic' to what you went through as a child. But we do that all the time. And we have no right to do that. But worse than that - we often shame the child we once were - and blame them for 'things' that are NOT THEIR FAULT. "I should...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 9 (February 2008). Abuse by .Infinity. (Mel) Abuse is one of the most common heard terms around the world these days. We hear about it in television, from people we know, and most of all on the Internet. To abuse or mistreat something or someone is a very unlawful act, one which usually has horrible results. Though many things can be abused or mistreated, the main target for such a thing is usually children. Whether the child is young,...

Recognizing signs of an abusive relationship By Barbara (Unbreakable♥) When most people think of abusive relationships, they think of physical abuse: the kind that is portrayed in movies or books or even the news. What they don’t realize is that there are different types of abusive relationships, some of which can be a lot less obvious. This happens more often than you would think, especially with teenagers (1 in 4 teenage girls deal with repeated verbal abuse). They may think,...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 12 (May 2008). Seeking Support by St@rG@zer I have been with TeenHelp under various user names since 2005, and I have been a member of TeenHelp's wonderful staff in the past. While being around I have noticed something about rape victims that I'd like to share. I would also like to raise awareness, raise confidence and offer support information for rape victims who use or are guests TeenHelp. I have an older sister who was brutally and...

We used to have this sticky in this forum, and I think it's a very useful one to have so I'm going to re-post it again. The information is taken from ---> http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/Abuse/lisk/family_friends.htm When someone has been raped or sexually assaulted, they obviously need a great deal of support from the people around them as well as from people like counsellors, the police, doctors and so on. Many people simply do not know how to help somebody through the trauma...

Facing your abuser By Cassie (Cassado) Whether you're expecting to or not, facing your abuser can bring up a lot of difficult feelings and memories. Feelings such as anxiety, anger, or numbness may arise. Intense self-destructive urges or past memories can resurface, even if you thought you had already worked through them. This article is going to discuss how to handle running into your abuser, or how to cope with seeing them on a regular basis. It's a small world and many people...

Preventing child sexual abuse By Jenna (.:BreakingBeautifully:.) One in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18. These staggering statistics may leave you wondering what you can do to help children who might fall prey to child sexual abuse. Most people are aware that child sexual abuse occurs, but are unaware of the steps they can take to try and help prevent it, which leaves them with a sense of hopelessness. Many people cling to the idea that the main...
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The fear of becoming your abuser By Cassie (Cassado) Though it is not talked about, many survivors of abuse fear that they will someday turn into their abusers. Part of this is likely to do with the misconception that all survivors of abuse become abusers themselves. Almost all abusers were abused, but reoffending is relatively rare. This article will discuss what the fear is, why it is there, and how to cope with this fear. What it is The fear of becoming your abuser is...

Understanding the effects of sexual abuse on your partner By Kyra (Radioactive.) Trying to walk in the shoes of a victim of abuse or assault is understandably difficult. Sometimes it may feel like attempts to comfort, help, or sympathize with a victim of trauma can go unnoticed or unappreciated. The victim may be going through significant stress in multiple areas of their lives, and the trauma and stress cannot be fixed or forgotten overnight, even if it happened years before. This article...

Emotional abuse vs emotional neglect By Cassie (Cassado) While both equally damaging, emotional abuse and emotional neglect are two different things with their own set of characteristics. Both terms are related to emotional distress but the actions which cause the distress are different. Read on to learn more about the differences and effects of emotional abuse and neglect. The difference between emotional abuse and emotional neglect is that emotional abuse entails doing something and...
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Abusive Relationships By Ashley (Wonderbread) Abusive relationships are something that can affect us whether we are sixteen or sixty. It is important to remember that while abuse can be physical, it can also be mental, emotional, or sexual. Abuse affects both men and women, but no one has to remain in an abusive relationship. Being aware of the signs of an abusive relationship can help you to know when enough is enough, and to leave or ask for help. Definitions of the different types...