Help for Myself
Is this abuse?Hagar’s Sisters guides me to find help for myself
All relationships are challenging. Those experiencing intimate partner abuse often have difficulty identifying their relatioship “challenge” as abuse. Have made many attempts to solve that challenge, many wonder if finding help for myself is possible.
You may wonder if abuse is an anger issue; it’s not. Intimate Partner Abuse (IPA) is defined as a pattern of behavior used by one partner to maintain power and control over another (National Domestic Abuse Hotline). Abuse knows no boundaries and happens regardless of your background.
Types of abuse include:
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- Physical
- Sexual
- Emotional/Verbal
- Psychological
- Financal/Economic
- Spiritual
Abuse can be actions or even just the threat of actions.
Abuse is far more complex and dangerous than most understand. It impacts the emotional and physical health for you and your children. If physical abuse is present it can lead to injury or death. Abuse may erode other relationships and create issues in at work.
Take a short assessment to understand if your relationship challenges may be due to IPA
Is it possible my relationship is abusive?
Please review the simple checklist. If you answer “yes” to any of the following, we recommend further exploration of the topic by speaking with a Care Coordinator at Hagar’s Sisters or your local domestic violence organization.
Does your partner:
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- YES NO Put you down or intentionally embarrass you?
- YES NO Look at you or act in ways that scare you?
- YES NO Control what you do, who you see or talk to, or where you go?
- YES NO Stop you from seeing your friends or family members?
- YES NO Take your money or Social Security check, make you ask for money or refuse to give you money?
- YES NO Make all the decisions?
- YES NO Tell you that you’re a bad parent or threaten to take away or hurt your children?
- YES NO Prevent or strongly discourage you from working or attending school?
- YES NO Act like the abuse is no big deal, blames you for the abuse, or denies abusing you?
- YES NO Destroy your property or threaten to kill your pets?
- YES NO Intimidate you with or mention using a gun, knife, or other weapons especially during an argument?
- YES NO Shove you, slap you, choke you, or hit you?
- YES NO Try to get you to drop legal charges brought against him for abuse?
- YES NO Threaten to commit suicide or threaten to kill you?
Hagar’s Sisters can provide you with information and compassionate support as you determine for yourself if your relationship is abusive. Please contact Hagar’s Sisters at 987.266.0053 ext 1.
WARNING: Couples counseling can be dangerous and is NOT recommended! However, complementing Hagar’s Sisters services with an individual counselor who is trained in IPA IS recommended.
How Hagar's Sisters Helps
Hagar’s Sisters serves those like you who seek help for yourself by wondering if you: 1) are wondering if you are in an abusive relationship, 2) are curently in an abusive relationship, or 3) were previously in an abusive relationship. Our program is proven successful in helping women experiencing IPA move from a place of confusion to understnding and from being emotionally wounded to restoration. Our goal for you is to live into the fullness of life God intended -whether you chose to remain in the relationship or end the relationship permanently.
Our Program
Sister Portal
Our proprietary online platform provides a secure, centralized location for our services. Anyone with a computer, notepad, or smartphone can access our services regardless of their location.
My Care Plan
Work through several self-paced modules that cover foundational topics and offer personalized tools you use throughout the rest of the program. A Care Coordinator is available to answer questions and provide emotional support. Optional one-hour discussion groups are available.
Curriculum
Courses designed to help you understand if your relationship is abusive, complex dynamics of an abusive relationship, how to have healthy relationships in the future, and bring healing to the wounds inflicted by others.
Sister Circle
A virtual small group gathering includes 5 – 10 Sisters and two DV-trained facilitators. Sister Circles meet weekly online for the duration of each course. Sisters often develop deep friendships as you move through the curriculum at the same pace as others.
For over 17 years, Hagar’s Sisters has been empowering women who experienced the devastation of intimate partner abuse find healing in God. Together, we’re breaking the cycle of abuse through the transforming power of God, one woman at a time.
Sister Portal Demo: Path to Healing
Watch how our program comes together in the following demo.
“Thanks to this program I found help for myself. I’m more informed & see hope.”
Our Approach
God
As an organization founded by Christian women who felt trapped between the conflicting messages from Christian leaders and the domestic abuse community, our materials not only speak to the issue of domestic violence, but also reflect God’s disdain for abuse and His desire to for you to live in peace and safety. We warmly welcome all women, regardless of your faith background.
Quality
From the creation of content to the selection and training of facilitators and care coordinators, we remain focused to ensure an emotionally, spiritually, and physically safe environment.
Cultural Competency
Diversity among our facilitators and care coordinators is a priority as is ensuring our service team and materials are culturally sensitive.
Healing
Healing from the trauma of abuse takes time, knowledge, and a supportive community of others who share your experience. Our trauma-informed services help you overcome current challenges, heal from the trauma you experienced and learn how to have healthy relationships in the future.
Choice
We have no agenda whether you stay or leave your relationship. You are empowered to make your own choices without pressure or judgement from our team or other group members. However, we do advocate for safety and report suspected maltreatment of children or the elderly.
Community
Isolation from family, friends, school, and work is a frequent outcome of abuse. Sister Circles are about learning, sharing, healing, AND building community with those who understand where you’ve been because they’ve been there, too.
No Payment
We recognize accessing family funds and finding an undetectable payment method may be a challenge for you. For this reason we practice “paying it forward.” As circumstances allow you, we encourage you to give so others who come after you receive the same benefit from our program. Financial gifts from the Sisters, both current and previous, provide substantial funding for our program in concert with other individuals, Christian family foundations, and churches.
Next Step
If you are interested in learning whether Hagar’s Sisters is the right place to explore your relationship, schedule a confidential conversation with a Hagar’s Sisters Care Coordinator by clicking the button below. No commitment necessary.
You do not need to walk alone.
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