Are You In An Abusive Relationship?

The following questions, in no particular order, were extracted from a number of on-line articles by various people. They have been edited minimally. Whatever the expertise or lack thereof of the authors, the thoughtful reader will probably agree this list of symptoms is consistent with someone who is on the wrong end of an abusive relationship.

He makes threats and does things just to scare me.

He shouts at me to scare me and make me do things I don’t want to do.

He ridicules me just to make me feel bad when we’re alone or around friends.

He makes me do things that I don’t want to do without listening to me.

He makes me feel guilty if I don’t spend time with him or the people he says I should.

He doesn’t try to get on with my friends or family.

He hits, slaps or pushes me.

He looks through my phone, social media or web history.

He wants to know where I am all the time.

He cheats on me or accuses me of cheating on him.

He steals from me or makes me buy him things.

Now let’s see how you stack up.

“He makes threats and does things just to scare me.”

Like telling you if you don’t continue to wear a mask even outdoors you will die, or at the very least receive a heavy fine. If you live in Florida, you are happily free of this intimidation. Not so in blue states or Victoria, Australia.

“He shouts at me to scare me and make me do things I don’t want to do.”

Sounds like a typical policeman at a protest march or demonstration. Unless of course you are protesting in support of Black Lives Matter, in which case feel free to loot the shopping centre and torch the neighbourhood.

“He ridicules me just to make me feel bad when we’re alone or around friends.”

That’s hardly surprising, especially  if you oppose open borders and gun control.

“He makes me do things that I don’t want to do without listening to me.”

That’s your own fault for listening to him. Don’t you know Democrat politicians are inveterate liars? They’ll promise you the Earth when they’re campaigning, then when they are elected they will keep only the promises they made to their mega-donors behind closed doors.

“He makes me feel guilty if I don’t spend time with him or the people he says I should.”

That’s because you’re a racist and a homophobe. What makes you think you have the right to choose your own friends?

“He doesn’t try to get on with my friends or family.”

He doesn’t have to; he gives the orders, and you comply. That’s how it is.

“He hits, slaps or pushes me.”

That’s because he has qualified immunity which means he is never punished for his misdeeds, even if they are videoed.

“He looks through my phone, social media or web history.”

That’s because you are a potential insurrectionist for questioning the outcome of the last election, and if your name is Posie Parker, in case you utter a rude word on Twitter, or lapse into hate speech by claiming men are not women.

“He wants to know where I am all the time.”

That’s why it’s called total surveillance. And why he is called Big Brother.

“He cheats on me or accuses me of cheating on him.”

That’s what is known as gaslighting.

“He steals from me or makes me buy him things.”

That’s called taxation, dummy!

So how did you stack up? Before you answer that question, bear in mind he will know how you answered it, and he is already angry.