Dear Queenie,
My daughter is married to a man who constantly contradicts her. Whatever she says, he says no, it is the opposite. And when it comes to the children he is no help at all, he says he is too busy, even if all he is doing is watching TV or talking on the phone.
He won’t let her come to my house to visit because he says she might get in an accident, so if I want to see her I have to go to their house.
Queenie, how can I make things better for her?—Worried mother
Dear Mother,
What you are describing are control issues, the tricks abusers use to make their victims feel incompetent, helpless and dependent on the abuser for everything.
The best thing you can do for your daughter is to encourage her to find the inner strength to stand up to her abuser, to leave him if necessary, and let her know you are ready to help her whenever she needs it.
