Reactive abuse occurs in long term abusive relationships.
The victim reaches breaking point inside and lashes out with pushing, hair pulling, raging, or punching.
This is after a sustained period of gaslighting, emotional, psychological, coercive, or sexually or physical abuse.
This is not violence on the victim’s part because it does not come from a place of control, manipulation or coercion but rather from a place of selfdefense and protection.
The victim does not bring the violence on themselves and they are not abusive like their partner.
When the victim retaliates out of selfdefense because their mental state and body have been harmed, injured or violated in some way, this causes them more harm than the abuser because it is so out of character for them resulting in shame and guilt for them.
When the abuser accuses them of the abuse, this further escalates the victim to be frustrated resulting in further punching, pushing or even throwing something at their attacker.
When Police are called, the abuser acts calm and plays the victim while the other person is still left in a state of freeze, fight and flight because the brain releases a stress hormone released by the brain to protect the body.
If you are in an abusive relationship, click on the link below for a booking today.
