Break Your Silence

Communication is Key to Helping You Heal from DV

communication

By Mikayla Shave

While communication is widely observed to be central to the implementation process, the field of implementation science has largely overlooked the details of how communication may be utilized to better facilitate implementation.

Within organizational changes such as intimate partnership changes, employment changes, and potentially educational changes, communication has been observed outside of implementation science. Like a human resources department (Albright et al., 2021).

But when it comes to healing from domestic violence, how can we take these methods of communication and implement them into our new healthy relationships?

Communication and Moving Forward

The defined nature of domestic violence perpetrated within the context of significant interpersonal relationships. Domestic violence could include violence between a husband and a wife, girlfriend, and boyfriend. As well as LGBTQA+ and children.

Though some authors have exposed that when physical, sexual, and psychological abuse is directed against women partners, it is talking in terms of domestic violence and abuse. While in the same case when it is directed against children, the term child abuse is used much more than domestic violence (Rakovec-Felser, 2014).

DV and Child Abuse Without Open Communication

A common pattern of domestic abuse, especially between intimate partners, is that the perpetrator alternates between violent, abusive, and apologetic behavior with heartfelt promises to change and that the abuser can be very pleasant at times.

This can create extreme doubt for survivors when they transition into a healthy relationship. It’s like we’ve heard the apologies, but they’ve always ended in more abuse so why would accept apologies from genuine people?

How are we supposed to teach our children what healthy communication looks like when we’ve just been handling constant barrages of word-salad?

How to Use Communication

Open communication with those around us about our healing journeys is key to moving forward. Use clear and concise words. Be open and available to those closest to you when you can.

However, if your friends or family is going through domestic violence, be sure to understand the other side of communication. Listening. If they are willing to come to you, then open yourself to listening to what they have to say.

Check These Resources:

Support Line

Other Resources and Information:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26973948
break the silence against domestic violence
BreakTheSilenceDV

Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence (BTSADV) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic violence beyond crisis. BTSADV focuses on long-term healing through financial assistance programs, scholarships, survivor retreats, advocacy initiatives, and a national support line. The organization works to amplify survivor voices, raise awareness about coercive control and systemic failures, and help break generational cycles of abuse through education, outreach, and community engagement.

More Survivor Stories

Surviving the Unthinkable: Why Thier Stories Matter

*By Survivor Jamie A Night That Escalated Without Warning The evening began like any other.There was time spent together.A social setting.A sense of normal routine. But like many abusive situations, nothing stayed calm for long. What followed was a sudden and violent escalation that turned a private space into a...

Survivors Speak: The Strength Behind the Silence

by Survivors 5 Voices of Survivors 1.I am a survivor of domestic violence. I truly believe I am still alive today because I found the courage to speak out—to say “enough.”Survivors like us can make a difference by sharing our stories. We are stronger than we think, and when we...

domestic violence

Domestic Violence Isn’t All That I Am

By Survivor Daphne **The following is written by a survivor of domestic violence and abuse. Descriptions and details may be too graphic for some. Names have been changed to protect all involved.** I’m a domestic violence survivor. I met and married a man at the age of 17 because I...