Are You Being Subjected To Physical And/Or Sexual Abuse By Your Spouse?

Even in today's world of technological advancement and modern thoughts, there are many instances of abusive relationships behind closed doors. Physical assault is not the only method of domestic violence or abuse. There are normally three ways your spouse may be abusing you-

1. Physical abuse is when your spouse takes up to beating. It is not just beating, but there can be other ways of physical abuse that may hurt you physically somehow. 
2. Sexual abuse is when you are forced by your spouse for unwanted sex, that amounts to marital rape. Even with consensual sex, there may be certain activities during sex that you do not want to engage in. 
3. Emotional Abuse is another form of abuse, where your spouse does not use physical control, but controls you mentally or emotionally. In all of the above cases, just tolerating the abuses without saying anything against it, may lead to serious problems in future. 

Symptoms of Being Abused 

There can be many times when you are unable to judge whether you are being abused by your spouse. In this case, there are a few symptoms that you can match up to check whether you are a victim of spousal abuse: 

• You are afraid of your spouse, 
• You do not want to anger your spouse, 
• Lack of confidence that may make you feel that you deserve to be punished, 
• You start feeling that you are either crazy, or too helpless. 

Now you can also judge whether your partner is abusive, by noticing these symptoms: 

• Your partner humiliates you and criticizes you all the time, 
• Your partner treats you badly in front of friends and family, 
• Ignores your accomplishments or emotions and blames you for everything, 
• Treats you as an object for sex, 
• Controls your life in all aspects. 

Getting Rescued From the Situation 

Abuse can be for both the husband and wife. But in most cases, partners do not come out in the open and talk about it. Women think they can manage and adjust to keep the marriage going, while men think it is too shameful to admit that they are being abused by their wives. But just staying quiet and waiting for a solution is not the best solution. If you want to get out of the situation, trying these options can help. 

• Speaking to your spouse since the very first time when you notice such abuse, 
• Staying strong and confident always, 
• Talking to a friend or a family member about the abuse, 
• Calling up the police for help and filing up a case of domestic violence against the spouse, 
• Taking up some hard decisions, such as separation from the spouse. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Psychiatrist.