Gender-based violence is common in South Africa. Every one in three girls might end up in an abusive relationship. An abusive relationship is when you enter a relationship and your romantic partner shows aggression towards you. They could violently attack you, psychologically attack you or verbally attack you. Usually, people involved in abusive relationships find it difficult to leave.. People aged 12-19 have the higher rate of reported rape and sexual assault in a relationship. 90% of the abuse victims in relationships are women because they believe it is their fault and that they deserve to be abused. People stay in abusive relationships because the society today makes it seem like it is normal to be in a relationship like this. So people may not understand the difference between a healthy relationship and a unhealthy relationship. Getting emotionally abused lowers your self-esteem so you feel like you can not do better or get into another relationship after the recent one. When your partner abuses you he or she will apologize and make it seem like they will not harm you again to make you stay in the relationship. Sorry, it is dangerous to leave an abusive relationship because the abusive partner might kill you or
people you care deeply for so it makes it difficult to leave. In an abusive relationship, there is a cycle of control and sometimes it is hard to break away from the control of your abusive lover. The victim in the relationship feels like they deserve the abuse because their partner makes them feel guilty for the victim being abused. Usually, when a person is in an abusive relationship they shy away from spending time with friends and sometimes family. The victim’s style of clothing changes from how they usually dress. A victim of physical abuse will change their clothing to cover up bruising and injuries so people dont know what is happening. The abuser will often sometimes use rough language or be aggressive with the victim. The victim will not admit that she or he is in an abusive relationship and change the subject. They become more reserved. The individual development post-traumatic stress and becomes depressed because of this. In most cases, the victim will commit suicide just to be free of the abuse. The people around the victim become worried and try to help him or her which in most cases makes the victim’s situation worse. The abuser’s family will live in denial if they have never seen this side of them.