Domestic Abuse and its Impact on Mental Health.
The world has seen a sudden increase in the number of cases related to domestic abuse, as a result of this global Pandemic and Lockdowns. There is a desperate need of providing help and support to the victims and survivors of abuse now than ever before. For many of us it is still a taboo topic and most people do not want to talk about it or even acknowledge that it exists in our communities.
A group of women who run a sisters circle in Trinidad and Tobago requested Inspirited Minds to deliver a talk on ‘Domestic abuse and Mental Health’ on the 17th of January at 6PM (GMT). The talk lasted for 1 hour and 45 minutes. And 15 women from various backgrounds based in London, Trinidad and Tobago, attended the event so as to gain understanding about the subject so they are able to spread awareness in their community. The audience was female only due to the nature of the topic. It was delivered via zoom in Trinidad from London.
The talk was aimed at women who wanted to increase their understanding of what domestic abuse is and how it impacts mental health. Through this talk I was able to explain what are the forms of domestic violence and what are it’s types and how abusive relationships have a negative effect on our psychological well being. I started with the definition of mental health and described the forms of abuse that exist.
Through the presentation I was able to give examples of how perpetrators use coercive control in relationships to have power and control. How one can identify the red flags in a relationship. What Islam says about treating ones spouse, some examples from Quran and Sunnah to show what your rights are in a marital relationship. How to support oneself or someone who is a victim or survivor of abuse. References for research and stats presented on domestic abuse were also shared with the audience.
Some resourceful information was also given at the end of the presentation, in case anyone needs professional help or support.
I found the attendees quite engaging and very keen to learn and support other sisters in the community. There was a Q & A session at the end of the talk and lots of attendees came forward to share their opinions, provide feedback and ask questions related to the topic.
Some of the questions I was asked were:
- How to cope with a partner who is verbally abusive?
- Do men also suffer from domestic abuse?
- How can one regain trust in relationships after being in an abusive relationship?
- Does Journaling help a victim or survivor of abuse in getting things out of their system?
- What about the abuse women experience by the hands of their Fathers or brothers?
Overall it was a fantastic initiative taken by the organisers and everyone found it very insightful.
It was a truly humbling experience to hear everyone’s feedback. I learned that we need to explore the impact of abuse more as well as talk about the impact of abuse that is carried out by a parent or sibling as well and not just the one carried out by an intimate partner. We need to support each other and work together to end the vicious cycle of abuse!
Top tips:
- Islam came to elevate the status of women and to empower them.
- As a Muslim woman know your legal and divinely granted rights.
- You are not alone, there is help out there so reach out for help and don’t feel ashamed.
- ‘Sabr’ doesn’t mean to suffer injustice and oppression in silence.
Feedback:
“A special thanks to sister Warisa. Really enlightening alhamdolillah.” (Organiser)
“The talk was very informative. Some of the info was new to me. Thank you to the organisers.” (Ms Joseph| Attendee)
“Thanks to the organisers for organising such an informative and empowering programme. And a special thanks to sister Warisa on her knowledge that was imparted. May Allah SWT continue to bless and guide us all.” (Aliyyah | Attendee)
If you are going through a difficult time and are experiencing anything relevant to the above mentioned topic, then feel free to contact our support service including counselling. For further information please visit: Get Help
If you would like to get involved in raising awareness about mental health in your local community, we are looking to grow our outreach team to different cities around the country. We will ensure that you are fully trained and confident before running workshops & talks.
Please visit our website for more information: Vacancies
