Understanding Consent: What Your Teen Should Know
Having the conversation about consent with your teen may feel uncomfortable, but it’s one of the most important things to talk about, especially as the school year approaches and they may enter into a relationship. It may feel like an uncomfortable subject because the word ‘consent’ is typically associated with sex or physical activity. The […]
Teaching Teens What Healthy Relationships Look Like
Teenage years are filled with new experiences, such as first crushes, relationships, and more. While these things are exciting, learning how to navigate these relationships as a teen can play an important role in how they view healthy relationships as adults. Teens need to learn how to navigate emotions and boundaries early on. Unfortunately, many […]
Resources For Survivors: What Stepping Stone Offers
It’s sexual assault awareness month, and if you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you should know what resources are available to you. It’s important for survivors to know one thing first and foremost: you are not alone. At Stepping Stone, we’re committed to providing survivors with a safe, supportive, and confidential space […]
Understanding Different Kinds Of Abuse: Financial
Although physical harm is usually the first thing that comes to mind when people think of abuse, there are many forms of domestic violence. Despite some forms being less visible, they can be just as damaging. Financial abuse is a highly underrecognized type of abuse, but it plays a harmful role in trapping and controlling […]
Coercive Control: Understanding Psychological Abuse
When most people think of abuse in relationships, they often think of physical violence. However, abuse isn’t always visible. Many survivors experience coercive control, a pattern of psychological manipulation and pressure used to control another person. This can include intimidation, isolation, emotional manipulation, threats, guilt, love bombing, or pressuring someone into sexual activity. For teens […]
Understanding Domestic Violence: History, Impact, And How You Can Help
Domestic violence is a complex and widespread issue that affects many different people. Although the movement for change has gained awareness in recent decades, it wasn’t always this way. Domestic violence has often been overlooked or normalized throughout history. Legal protection for survivors was minimal, and abuse inside the home was rarely addressed by authorities. […]
Beyond the Headlines: Understanding Domestic Violence in Our Community
Across Northwest Indiana, sadly, one does not have to look too far to find a story of domestic and or sexual violence in our community. These tragic stories often take the form of a dramatic episode, a visible injury, a clear villain, and a clear victim. But for most survivors in our community, domestic violence […]
What Healthy Love Looks Like After Crisis: Hope, Healing, And Relationships
For survivors of domestic violence, the idea of ‘healthy love’ can feel complicated or intimidating. Even the word ‘love’ can carry mixed emotions: longing, fear, grief, and hope all at once. After escaping an abusive relationship, survivors may face challenges when trying to form a new, healthy relationship later on. Trust is fragile, and it […]