Sexual abuse happens in adult relationships and sometimes in marriages, too! I know a lot of people, including myself, for a long time thought sexual abuse only occurred with children but sexual abuse is actually quite common in adult relationships, too!
The problem is a lot of people (mainly women) don’t actually know they are being sexually abused…
You might be thinking, well I would know if someone tried to rape me….but actually sexual abuse, although it includes rape, can be more discrete and predominately happens in relationships or close relationships.
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Some ways to know if you are being sexually abused are:
- If you’re made to feel guilty, so you are coerced into having sex;
- Your partner uses your past against you, so you feel like you must have sex with them;
- You are made to feel like you aren’t being a good enough sexual partner;
- Or your partner just exhausts you at night, so you just give up and give in even when you don’t want to
- Or you may just find him on top of you during the night.
The problem is that we just don’t talk about sex…and because of that, sexual abuse goes under the radar so easily because perpetrators know that their victims won’t ever talk about it…let alone know that it is even a form of abuse!
Sexual abuse: definition
Sexual abuse: When a partner is wanting to have sex and using guilt, coercive control, playing mind games to manipulate their victim or simply using intimidation to get sex, even when their partner voices they do not want to!
- Sexual abuse is another way of exerting power and control for the perpetrator;
- Sexual abuse and assault can happen within a marriage, and relationships – this means wives and partners can be rape victims, too;
- Perpetrators often believe it’s their male right to have sex when they want and on their own terms due to their entitled thinking;
- Sexual abuse and assault can be coerced through exhaustion, guilt, fear of punishments, intimidation, and physical force;
- Abusers can also deprive their partner of their sexual needs as a form of punishment;
- Drugs and alcohol can be used to coerce victims into sexual acts.
The way out of sexually abusive relationships
Sexual abuse only gets worse the longer the relationship goes on…the only way to stop it is to leave the perpetrator…which is not what anyone wants to hear. I know I certainly didn’t want to hear this when I was in an abusive marriage.
Leaving is never easy but in my opinion, it’s totally worth it.
I hope this helps you feel better and please subscribe and follow for more information on dealing with perpetrators and healing from abuse.
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Keep smiling at her in the mirror!
Sanita xxx
healing-from-abuse.com 