blooming: Recognizing and Responding to the Different Types of Abuse (my story)

My fight for survival truly began one afternoon when I went home for a quick lunch break. As I opened the door to my apartment, I was met with a chilling sight—my ex-husband waiting inside, holding a rifle. Somehow, he had managed to get a key to my place, violating the sense of safety I thought I had regained. I went inside, and we began arguing. The next moment, everything blurred as he aimed and shot me in the back of the head. The world faded around me, but something deep within me refused to let go. I remember hearing a voice screaming at me from the depths of my soul: *“Never give up!”* That voice became my anchor, my will to survive, and my reminder that even in the darkest of moments, a seed of hope still exists.

When we know what abuse looks like, we’re better equipped to

• recognize it,

• speak out, and

• support those who are struggling. It wasn’t until I started learning about the various forms of abuse that I began to piece together the full picture. Education is a powerful tool. Abuse is not always physical. It can take many forms

• physical

• emotional,

• financial,

• sexual,

• digital, and more. Understanding these patterns is crucial not only for recognizing abuse but also for finding the strength to break free. If I had known the full spectrum of what constitutes abuse earlier, I might have been able to reach out for support before it escalated. in abusive relationships, it’s common for multiple types of abuse to coexist, creating a complex environment of fear and manipulation. in the next blog , I’ve outline the different types of abuse