I believe it would boggle all of our collective minds, if we really knew how many people and especially women are in abusive Relationships, right now. There are many faces of abuse in relationships, that smile and pretend that all is well until one day what is really going on behind closed doors, is revealed

Abuse comes in a plethora of disguises, and sometimes because someone is not being physically abused, they deceive themselves into thinking that theirs is a normal relationship. To the outsider, abuse is not easily distinguished and to the abused not readily understood.

10 Signs of Abuse

1. A partner who is impossibly dependent and clingy, and monopolizes your time.

2. A physically abusive partner who slaps or hits you, etc.

3. A partner who stalks you.

4. Anger: excessively angry interchanges.

5. Delivery of harsh and insulting language.

6. Intemperate: having or showing a lack of self-control.

7. Lack of remorse or overt remorsefulness.

8. The need to always command your attention.

9. Isolation: removal of your support system by encouraging dissent. The idea here, is to divide and conquer.

10. A partner who demands access to your private and social media accounts.

If anyone in a situation-ship, relationship, acquaintanceship, comingling, or entanglement and any of the aforementioned signs are evident, you are in an abusive relationship. A partner who demands access to private and social media accounts to spy on you, or is aggressive, and alienates you from family and friends, does not love you. A partner who shows up to places unannounced and uninvited, with the intent to investigate and look around furtively, to uncover things of a salacious nature, does not love you, and a partner who verbally assaults you, has no regard for you or your feelings. In actuality, that is a person with a mental health problem.

Abusers are cowards who have perfected their craft. They have every possible trick up their sleeves and will employ every dirty tactic to reel you back in. Whether it is crying or an account of a sad childhood story or blaming stress at work or pushing the narrative that they cannot live without you, or promises that it will not happen again. Lies

If you are experiencing anything that even looks, or sounds, or begins to feel like abuse, leave now. There will never be an ideal time. No good can come of such a relationship or comingling. Whatever your reasons for believing you need to stay, believe me, you do not need a relationship to define you. Love yourself enough to walk away, in fact, run away from anything that dishonors you, seeks to control you, or commits you to a place of inferiority.

Things will not get better; change will not occur, but if you stay, things will get progressively worse. The three-strikes rule does not apply here, if a person Loves you, they will not vilify you unjustly, nor subject you to dishonor, nor disgrace, nor shame you.

For the record, Love does not make demands, nor is it unkind. Love does not inflict pain and Love does not control. Love does not diminish one's sense of self-worth, nor hurl insults, nor belittle.

But rather, Love holds you in high regard. Love defends you, protects you, supports you, and never wants to see you in pain or watch you struggle. Love wants to make you smile and hear your laughter. Love comforts you. Love knows your worth and that you are more than worthwhile. Love sees you in the best possible light and sees no flaws when its gaze is directed upon you. Love is biblical, love says where you go, I will go, your people will be my people and your God will be my God.

Love is patient, and love is patience, Love knows, and never forgets that you are fearfully and wonderfully made, and have been set apart, and given purpose.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing abuse, please contact an abuse prevention hotline or the National Domestic Violence Hotline@

1-800-799-safe (7233)