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How can spiritual abuse make it hard to leave an abusive relationship?
When an abusive partner uses your beliefs to keep you in the relationship or make you feel like leaving is wrong, it can be harder to get out. For example:
- You might believe, or be told, that divorce is not allowed and that you must keep the marriage and family together no matter what;
- Your spouse and other community members may pressure or counsel you to stay in the relationship;
- You may have been raised to think it’s your job to prevent abuse;
- You may believe, or be told, that it’s wrong to report abuse to the police or others outside of your community;
- You might worry about how your children will be treated; or
- You might fear losing your family, friends, or spiritual home.1
Spiritual abuse can also hurt your self-esteem. If someone keeps telling you you’re worthless or that bad things will happen if you leave, you might start to believe them. Even when the abuser isn’t around, you might still feel afraid of him/her and the power s/he has.1
1 This information was adapted from the Australian Government, Australian Institute of Family Studies, Understanding spiritual and religious abuse in the context of intimate partner violence
