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Here Are 5 Signs You Might Be Being Groomed to Be Abused

These warnings often occur early in a new relationship

Kerry McAvoy, PhD
Girl, Get Your Shit Together
5 min readJan 26, 2021

Photo by Alex on Unsplash

Did you know abusive people often groom their partners? In the early stages of a relationship, they test to see if this person would make a good victim.

My Introduction to the Dynamics of Abusive Behavior

Fresh out of college, I wanted to work with people yet lacked the credentials, so I began volunteering. I learned about the 1980s version of the Sexual Assault Victim Advocacy Program and joined.

They began to teach me how to work with victims. The coursework included assertiveness training, women empowerment, assisting victims after a rape, and identifying predator behavior.

The last one, in particular, hooked me. As an early childhood assault survivor, I was too young to remember the grooming phase. Pedophiles look for the most vulnerable and then emotionally lure those children into compromising positions. My abuser must have made me feel special, so he could gain enough of my trust to isolate me.

Stranger rapists do the same thing. They often scope out their victims and learn their routines. They assess if this person makes an ideal candidate before approaching. They look to see if this person…

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Girl, Get Your Shit Together
Girl, Get Your Shit Together

Published in Girl, Get Your Shit Together

Stories about relationships, failing, thriving, love, and life.

Kerry McAvoy, PhD
Kerry McAvoy, PhD

Written by Kerry McAvoy, PhD

Psychologist & Author of LOVE YOU MORE. Follow on Tiktok/IG for narcissistic abuse tips & advice. Email: hello@kerrymcavoyphd.com

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