HELP FOR ABUSERS

 

Wanting to help someone who is abusing you or has in the past is a very common desire among victims and survivors. Unfortunately, it can be extremely dangerous as it often does not help the abuser and seriously harms the victim. The abuser is responsible for his or her own behavior and ultimately has to be the one to decide to get help and make real change. We do not advise victims to try to help their abusers and instead encourage them to get help for themselves and start by educating themselves on trauma bonding, which can make victims feel attached and loyal to their abusers. In certain cases, when it may be appropriate to reach out to a past abuser with helpful resources, we advise to do so under the guidance of a skilled mental health professional.

 

That being said, we offer respect and compassion to anyone and everyone who reaches out to us and we believe there is hope for change for anyone willing to do the difficult but transformative work of healing. We have compiled and created the following Resources, Education and Discourse to directly help victims and survivors of abuse and exploitation, which abusers virtually always were at one point. We also have links with Steps on How To Get Help if you think you may be an abuser. We applaud your courage in seeking help. If you are in the middle of what could be an emergency, please call one of the Crisis Hotlines or 911 (in the US). If you are not in the middle of an emergency, please reach out by giving us a call at 502-SHEARED (502-743-2733) or emailing us at info@sheared.org.