‘They abuse you, then they tell you you’re mad.’
Emotional abuse can include belittling, ridiculing, isolating, manipulating and intimidating. Often abusers will use these behaviours to control their partner, and too often they will blame their partner for their behaviours.
Nearly 50% of survivors report being told they were ‘mentally unstable’ by their abuser. They abuse you, then they tell you that you are mad. It’s a tale as old as time.
Every year we support nearly 20,000 people and 85% of those women and girls tell us they experienced emotional abuse. 1 in 2 of all women in the UK will experience emotional abuse.
Please help us to support women and girls as they recover from emotional abuse.
The effects of emotional abuse range from loss of self-esteem, fear and anxiety, hypervigilance, hopelessness to panic attacks, self-harm and substance abuse. We know that more than three women a week die as a result of the trauma of abuse. We believe that emotional abuse is psychological violence and the impact can be devastating.
Women tell us that they stopped recognising themselves, they felt like they were disappearing from their own lives. So, we created Maya to show them that we see them. We all know a Maya. We work with her, we’re friends with her, and many of us are her.
Maya is a unique decoration designed and created especially for Solace.
Maya represents the 1 in 2 women who will experience emotional abuse. Everyone who donates £20 or more to Solace will receive a Maya decoration as a Thank You from us.
Today marks the start of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence and one month until Christmas. Show women that they are seen, that they are valued and that they deserve to shine.
With gratitude,
Iona Proebst
(Fundraising Manager)
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