Explore 8 days of reflection, awareness, and support with Shatter the Silence. This blog offers guidance, survivor insights, and actionable steps to understand abuse, empower survivors, and foster safe, compassionate conversations."

We talk about shattering the silence, but what does that really mean and how do you begin to get over the shame of abuse?

Abuse doesn’t always leave bruises, shout or slam doors. Sometimes it's completely silent. It can hide behind a joint bank account, a withheld allowance, or debt that has been run up in your name. Every one of these things are financial abuse, and although it may not look the same as other forms of abuse, its impact can be just as devastating.

Not all wounds are visible. Not all pain leaves a mark you can point to. Sometimes, the most harmful kind of abuse is the kind that makes you question whether it’s even abuse at all. Today we are looking at emotional abuse.

There’s a kind of silence that lives in pain — the kind of pain people carry in their bodies when they’ve been hurt by someone who was supposed to care. Physical abuse is one of the most visible forms of harm, yet it’s often the least spoken about in a way that recognises what it actually does to a person.

The reality is, self-care is the single most important thing you can do not just for yourself, but for the people around you. To be what they need, you need to be in the right place not just physically, but emotionally, spiritually and mentally. The thing is, it can be hard during daily life to find that time, so how on earth do you do it when you are trying to navigate the ups and downs of an abusive relationship?

In the UK, stalking is now recognised as a serious criminal offence. Defined as a pattern of unwanted, fixated and obsessive behaviour that causes alarm, distress, or fear for safety, the numbers are startling - affecting 1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men in the UK during their lifetime. Check out the latest blog talking all about this and what you can do.

Gaslighting is one of the most insidious forms of abuse.It doesn’t come with bruises or shouting. Instead, it creeps quietly into your mind, until you’re no longer sure what’s real.