Abuse can take on many different forms. It can be verbal, emotional, mental, sexual, financial or physical to just name a few. It takes courage for you to walk away from your abuser, especially if you’re dependent on them. If you’re tired and fed up of being treated poorly, then you should start compiling evidence of your abuse right now.
You should start by writing down any instances of abuse that you’ve been subjected to. You should record the date and time and what exactly happened during your exchange with your abuser. You should take pictures of your injuries as well.
Be careful not to leave your journal around just anywhere. Just assume that your partner will find it if you do. If you have a job or a friend or family member that you visit, then you may want to consider leaving it there with them. If you’re concerned about your partner finding any pictures that you may have saved on your phone, then you may want to print and hide them. You may want to save them on a secret flash drive as well.
If you have an opportunity to go see your doctor, then you should tell them about the abuse that you’re being forced to endure. California physicians are mandated reporters. They’re required to report this information to police. Their records can come in handy down the road at court hearings as well.
Stalking is a type of abuse, as it has the potential of restricting your freedom of movement. You should document any instance in which your ability to come and go is restricted by someone else.
If you’ve been repeatedly subjected to increasingly aggressive phone communication by a partner, then you may want to allow your call to go to voice mail just once. A log of these incidents and a recording of how aggressive your abuser is could help you in a court of law.
It takes a lot of courage for victims of domestic violence to walk away from their abusers. The quicker that you’re able to do so, the sooner that you can learn coping mechanisms to help you rebuild your life though.
An attorney can advise you if the evidence of abuse that you’ve amassed can aid you in filing for a restraining order here in Riverside.