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No matter how empowered women have become, some still suffer at the hands of a harsh society. We’ve seen women triumph over adversities, those who have successfully revolutionized their lives regardless of gender-based hindrances. But behind these wins are women whose burdens remain heavy.
Women are limitless. Unfortunately, their society fails to recognize and protect their worth.
Over the past years, millions of women have suffered from domestic violence, even at the hands of their intimate partners. Empowering abuse survivors poses a challenge, especially given the weight of the shame, fear, and humiliation they feel. However, as a society desiring growth, it’s critical to help women find their voices again and entitle them to live their lives in freedom and strength.
Why Is It Important to Empower Victims?
Speaker and a proud advocate of women’s empowerment, author Latissua Barnhardt has written a book about women empowerment through faith. In it, she tackles how critical it is to find courage amidst abuse. She understands how grueling life can be under the power of a harmful man and an even harmful society tolerating him. Hence, Latissua has used her voice and talent to encourage women to hold on and seek their power to conquer such adversity.
In So You Want to Be a First Lady, Tish uses a story about a woman married to an influential pastor to warn women about the harsh realities of being married to prominent men. The air of fake luxury and privilege around these men may temporarily blind and hinder them from making rational choices. While deception is never their fault, the decision to leave is still theirs to own.
However, things are easier said than done. In Tish’s book, the author details the countless thoughts and considerations that go into leaving relationships, no matter how harmful they are.
Women know when to leave. But acting on this thought can be difficult, especially when dealing with matters like power, reputation, and even necessities.
Empowerment gives power to women.
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It allows them to regain themselves and hold on to this new perception of life. Empowering abuse survivors is a long-term investment. It will take time to fully recover or develop a better footing in life. But doing so is critical in helping them regain their life control.
Empowering abuse survivors ripples toward other victims, showing them the beauty and vast improvement of life outside current circumstances.
How to Empower Victims of Domestic Abuse?
As a cautionary tale, Tish Barnhardt’s story not only captures the harsh reality of abuse but also teaches women how to overcome it. She has detailed what it takes to regain and maintain freedom over time and in spite of temptations.
However, effectively empowering abuse survivors doesn’t stop at teaching these individuals. They have already learned how to escape the situation and keep their distance. Now, it’s time to guide society on how to be there and show up for these individuals.
What kind of support should they show to empower survivors?
For these individuals, life will become better once they’re out of their abusers’ grasp. However, it may remain partly confusing and uncomfortable as remnants of their experience linger.
Give Them a Break
These women have experienced the worst tides life can bring. Once they’re out of the current, it’s best to give them ample time to recuperate. Help them find their beauty once again. Introduce them to new self-care practices that remind them how wonderful life can be. Give them all the space and time they need to have fun and forget about their woes.
Empowering abuse survivors happens when they’re reminded of not only their worth but also the beauty in life. Give them the strength to live again and appreciate what they’ve gotten out of it.
Provide Resources and Support
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Although sincerity and genuine kindness go a long way, empowering abuse survivors would still require support from those they can deeply relate to. This can include resources from guardians, attorneys, or advocacy agencies that will help them with moving, therapy, finances, and more. Thoughts, prayers, and encouragement are monumental in terms of instilling hope in these women. However, when it comes to practical means of moving on, they would need more support from those who can.
Introduce Self-Esteem Programs
Regardless of the type of abuse, women’s self-esteem is typically the first to go. Not only will they feel ashamed of their experience, but they will also feel unworthy of any kindness after it.
Abuse is destructive enough that it can change a woman’s perception of herself. Empowering abuse survivors should include reminding them of their worth—who they were before the incident happened. After getting out of abusive relationships, women may feel frightened about rebuilding their lives. This can feel as though they’re back to scratch. However, they must confront their inner critics, the voice blaming them for everything, that abuse is never their fault. Their worth never diminishes because someone can’t understand their anger and own issues.
Survivors should be encouraged to embrace life after it and rebuild a positive relationship with themselves. But in doing so, they must first relearn how to accept and love themselves.
In Empowering Abuse Survivors, Time Is a Healer
Empowering abuse survivors is an investment. It doesn’t take a day or a week to heal the mental wounds accumulated for months or years. In teaching them to regain control, people would have to understand that time is their companion. It may not be immediate, but empowering abuse survivors happens with patience and determination.
Women will find the strength to stand back up and rebuild the life they’ve lost. However, this takes time. Through learning and relearning, they will gradually open themselves to the idea that life isn’t over because of what they’ve experienced.
If you want to learn more about finding strength despite adversities, read it from Tish Barnhardt’s So You Want to Be a First Lady. Understand women’s difficulties and learn how to help them triumph over these in her material.
