Do you fear your partner might be abusive towards you and your children? Have you realised that you are in an abusive relationship? Domestic abuse can happen to anyone. It is not your fault if your partner is abusive towards you. He is the one choosing to be violent.

Ask yourself some of the following questions:

• Is your partner excessively jealous and possessive?
• Is he charming one minute and abusive the next?
• Do you feel isolated from your friends and family?
• Is he constantly criticizing you? Does he embarrass you and make others see you negatively?
• Does your partner make you unsure of your own thoughts? Does he tell you you’re useless and couldn’t live without him?
• Does he control your money? Does he tell you what to wear, who to see and where to go?
• Does he pressure you to have sex when you don’t want to?
• Are you being extremely careful to avoid making him angry?
• Does he monitor your movements? Does he check your phone?
• Does he destroy your things to frighten you?
• Does he say you deserve his bad behaviour?

(source: Refuge)

Answering yes to any of these questions can indicate that you are experiencing abuse. However, no matter the result, if you feel unsafe in your home or with your partner, you should seek support.

If you are living in Europe, the easiest way to find help is to visit the WAVE support service database. Don’t hesitate to get directly in touch with WAVE to find a service. If you live outside of Europe, try searching online for a domestic violence survivor service - remember to delete your search history.

If you feel that your life is in danger, take it seriously and contact a women’s support service. They will help you in a non-judgemental, completely confidential way.

If you have any questions about your local perpetrator programme, call them. They are professionals who can answer your questions without any judgement.

Looking for a perpetrator programme for your partner? See the map on our homepage or search our programme database.

Find your country and see if we there are any programmes in your country. If they are in your country, but not in your town, send them an e-mail or call to see if they know of services closer to home. They are used to being contacted about these things. If you can't find a programme in your country, send us an e-mail and we will ask around to find out if there is a programme suited to your needs in your country or area.

A perpetrator programme will not magically turn your partner into a non-violent person. However, it offers him the chance to talk about his actions, reflect on them and try to come to terms with his abusive behaviour. The programme will support your partner in

• recognising and stopping his violent behaviours,
• establishing tools for a non-violent, respectful relationship,
• developing non-violent ways of communicating his frustrations, as well as,
• learning how to take responsibility for his actions and the harm they cause.

The programme should challenge your partner’s ways of thinking and behaving in a way, which enables him to change.

Beware that your partner might try to keep you from leaving him, using his participation in the perpetrator programme as leverage. Nevertheless, remember: You do not owe your partner a relationship because he is working on himself. The process to a less violent life benefits him and if he is trying to influence and pressure you, he is still being abusive.

A good perpetrator programme

• does not pressure you into staying with your partner.
• does not take your partner’s side.
• does not pressure you into mediation or couple’s therapy.
• does not tell you what to do (Beware: your partner might try and manipulate you by saying that the programme said you have to behave a certain way (e.g. stop asking him to help in the house)).
• does not blame you for the violence you are experiencing.
• gives you the information you need to get support and feel safer.
• has your and your children’s safety at the centre of all its actions.
• is aware of manipulation and will recognise your partner’s lies.
• contacts you to hear your story and provide information about the programme.
• provides some kind of evaluation of the programme and publish the results.