12 Traits of an Abusive Relationship

Laura Petherbridge

Crosswalk.com Contributor

“My boyfriend is jealous. He gets furious when I won’t dump my friends and spend all of my free time with him,” the weeping woman shared with me. “I was so thrilled to have a devoted boyfriend that I ignored the warning signs of abuse. I convinced myself that he loved me, and that things would get better with time. I was wrong—completely wrong.”

After 20 years of ministry I frequently hear this cry from men and women who are in a bad relationship. Christians often believe that domestic violence, abuse and manipulation doesn’t occur within the church, but nothing could be further from the truth. Sometimes men are portrayed as sadistic; however women can be equally dangerous. In an attempt to help singles avoid a destructive relationship or a painful marriage I offer insight on how to detect a toxic, abusive person.

via www.crosswalk.com

I think this is a must read.

Abusive relationships occur in every sector of the world and even in the church. Petherbridge says that abusers are typically charming, jealous, manipulative, controlling, victims (in mentality), narcissistic, inconsistent, critical, disconnected, hypersensitive, vicious and cruel, and insincerely repentant.

She writes these insights for leaders in churches so that they will be aware and prepared to support women who are being abused. Every pastor needs to be familiar with the issue and aware of community resources.

Too often, churches have encouraged women to take themselves and their children back into violent circumstances to preserve the sanctity of the home. We have unwittingly helped to perpetuate systems of abuse that perpetuate themselves through the generations.

Read the rest of the article at Crosswalk.com.

Lots of facts in the subtitles here.