What to do when you think someone you know is being physically or mentally abused?

What to do when you think someone you know is being physically or mentally abused?
 
      This is a four-part series.
 
PART I:
WHAT DOMESTIC ABUSE MAY APPEAR TO LOOK LIKE
 
Abuse looks different in every circumstance. However, there are some common indicators that should give us reason for concern. While many of the factors alone may not be cause to suspect abuse, considered within the context of the other factors, they can indicate a pattern of  Power and Control that characterizes domestic abuse.
 
Does the person about whom you are worried…

• Act like something is wrong? People experiencing abuse may display a range of emotions, including anger, anxiety, sadness, stress, or fear. They may seem restless, preoccupied, jumpy, or agitated. They may try to hide their emotions or be reluctant to share their feelings openly, or to discuss their partner or relationship.
• Seem to be withdrawing from friends, family and community, perhaps by changing plans, backing out of commitments, or not answering the phone or the door? Isolation is a common tactic that abusers use to keep their partners from having a healthy support system.
• Miss work unexpectedly, arrive late, or frequently call in sick? Do they receive lots of personal phone calls from their partner while at work? Do they try to arrange their schedule according to their partner’s wishes? Do they seem unable to focus on the job? Abusive people frequently focus their tactics on their partner’s job, because that job affords the partner things that represent a threat to their control—for example, income, emotional support, connection with supportive people, etc.
• Have to ask a partner’s permission to have or spend money?  Abusers often use access to finances as a way of controlling behavior and rendering their partner dependent upon them.
• Have bruises, broken bones, black eyes or other unexplained injuries? These can be signs of physical abuse—especially if seen often or repeatedly.

These are just some potential warning signs; the list is not meant to be exhaustive, but instead is a starting place for concerned questions. There are many ways abuse manifests.
 
Source: www.mcedv.org  How Can I Help A Friend – Brought to you by St. Hubert DV Outreach Ministry