Report His Butt! (Part 3 of a 4 part series) by Irrayna Pittman

Gabrielle’s positive attitude and her intentional journey to healing after being raped should inspire us. On the flip side, there’s:

Right, Rihanna. Funny thing, I agree with some of what Rihanna did. I applaud her for believing that an abuser can change and defying pressure, acting on her desire to reconcile with Chris, because she” loved” him (not sure how she is defining love). Rihanna said that she went back to Chris after the abuse because she wanted to be happy.

Before I grit on Rihanna, I stop because I have never been where she is. I say this because her relationship with Chris may have ended, but has her mindset change? I fear falling into Rihanna’s mindset. What’s so hard about leaving someone who verbally and/or physically abuses you?

There are five main reasons that have been identified as the reason women stay. First, low self-esteem can keep a woman in the grips of an abuser. She can also become desensitized to her situation as it becomes her norm. Women who suffer abuse are often isolated, perpetuating feelings of low self-esteem and worthlessness. Fourth, pride can cause the best of us to stay put because we are so worried about what people think. And finally, some abused women believe they cannot afford to leave.

First and foremost, remember where the blame lies in every situation of sexual assault and domestic violence. The blame lies with the perpetrator. Even if a woman has little strength to escape, she remains the victim.