ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the experiences of women who suffered intimate partner abuse. Fourteen women participated in the study, and their words emphasized the prevalence of emotional abuse. Interviews described intricate details of the abuser’s actions and the resulting emotions in the women. Of the 14 women who participated in this study, all but one woman left the relationship with the abuser. Five themes were identified through qualitative content analysis of the data. The themes were (1) acknowledging the abusive relationship; (2) fear of him: threats, control, pain, and isolation; (3) accepting support: grabbing the life preserver; (4) rediscovering myself: digging deep; and (5) appreciating life and helping others.
