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Interval House (24 hr):
244-0185
YWCA Emergency Shelter (24 hr):
244-2844
Salvation Army (24 hr):
242-6833
Sexual Assault Centre ( 24 hr crisis line): 244-2224
Mobile Crisis (24 hr):
933-6200
Saskatoon City Police:
975-8300
For a Friend
If you know, or think that someone is being
abused, offer your support. Dont threaten
them with losing your friendship if they
choose to stay with their partner. Leaving is
a very difficult decision. If she/he is in an
abusive relationship, they need a friend who
will give them support.
You can make it clear that they dont deserve
the abuse, while acknowledging their reasons
for staying. Being able to talk with someone
is the first step to getting out of an abusive
relationship. Leaving permanently can take
a long time. They need to regain the power
of making their own decisions.
You can tell her/him about contact resources.
The important thing is that you are able to
support them in making their own decisions.
IT
BEGAN
JUST AFTER
WE STARTED
GOING OUT
What is Abuse?
Usually when we think of abuse, we
think of physical assault. This is when
someone is kicked, slapped, punched
and shoved.
Abuse is not just physical abuse.
There is also abuse that leaves no
marksemotional abuse. This can be
forced isolation, being stopped from
spending time with family or friends,
being put down, or being harassed
about where we have been and what
we have been doing. Another way
boyfriends/girlfriends emotionally
abuse us is through threatening us with
physical abuse. Boyfriends/girlfriends
who do these things are trying to
control us and keep us from being
independent. Each of us, as
individuals, has the right to decide for
ourselves how we want to act.
Forced sexual contact is another form
of abuse. Sometimes we are coerced
into sexual relations with guys/girls
because we are threatened with losing
them, called names or made to feel
sexually inadequate. Sometimes we are
even physically forced. It is our right
to choose when and how we want sex.
When someone ignores this right, it
amounts to sexual assault.
Why Do We Stay?
Perhaps the most commonly asked question
about abuse is Why do they stay and take it?
- They dont.! Every person in an abusive
situation has tried to leave, or tried to change the
situation in some way. There are many reasons
why it is difficult to leave an abusive situation.