Helping my friend stay away from her abusive ex

So this is a really long fucked up story but I’ll keep it brief. My best friend [23/F] since we’re kids just left a really abusive relationship that has been going on for more than 2 years. Her boyfriend would verbally and emotionally abuse her by tormenting her about past traumatic experiences.

She recently told me something really horrific. Please don’t read ahead if you’re easily triggered. I can barely believe this is real. So the abusive boyfriend forced her to get an abortion. She took the pill since she was only 8 weeks. Then... the boyfriend forced her to bury the bloody clump in the backyard. I just can’t even fathom the trauma my friend is experiencing. I don’t know what to do to help her. She works 12 hour work days and lives hours away from me. She lives with her parents. She has told me that her parents can never know she got an abortion, but I know she is going through some serious shit and she postpones getting help. I have been texting her nonstop since it happened trying to offer the best support.

I am an occupational therapist so I have a master’s level capabilities of mental health counseling but I know this is beyond my scope of practice to help her. Plus, she is my friend so I know this needs to be put into someone else’s hands. I am just so disturbed and I need guidance. I have never had a friend experience abuse before. I am so worried she will go back to him. What is the right path?

Posted Mar 12, 2018, 9:48 PM UTC

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