We learn more about the relationship support services on offer from our industry charity, the Electrical Industries Charity (EIC).
Our entire life is formed of relationships so it’s no surprise that they can hugely impact our mental and physical health. A relationship between two people who don’t support each other is termed a ‘toxic relationship’ and can occur with a partner, family member, friend or colleague. Toxic relationships can be hugely damaging.
In 2020, the Office for National Statistics report that an estimated 2.3 million adults aged 16 to 74 in England and Wales experienced abuse in their relationship with a partner. 26% of the instances reported to police were committed against men. Yet only 4.4% of victims end up being supported by local services, with 11% of male victims and 7.2% of female victims saying they’ve considered suicide as a result.
A case in point – Steve’s story
Steve was in a relationship a few years ago with an abusive woman who struggled with alcohol addiction. He stayed with her longer than he should have done simply because he insisted she had ‘a lovely side’ that he believed in.
After years of abuse, Steve finally made the decision to leave his partner. He got a new flat and eventually formed a new healthy relationship. But his ex-girlfriend refused to let Steve be happy.
She couldn’t allow him to move on with his new partner, and over a series of months, she did everything in her power to break them up, loitering around his new flat and shouting death threats and obscenities through his letterbox.
On one of these occasions, she physically assaulted both Steve and his partner. The police were called and an injunction was taken out to protect them both. Although this stopped the abuse, the months of trauma had become too much for Steve’s new partner and she subsequently ended the relationship.
Up until this point, Steve had been motivated at work, active at the gym, and generally had a positive outlook on life. But the trauma caused by his ex-girlfriend left him struggling to get out of bed and resulted in him being signed off work and feeling on the verge of a mental breakdown. He started medication prescribed by his GP but he was placed on the end of a long waiting list to access any form of counselling.
His manager visited him at home and advised him to seek support, so Steve contacted the EIC through the helpline. He spoke with a caseworker on the phone and relayed the traumatic events of the last few years. The EIC sourced a therapist just days after the first contact.
After just one session with the therapist, Steve has said he is starting to feel better and more positive about the future.
The ‘power’ to make a difference
The help Steve was able to access is due to the support of the EIC and the powerLottery. It means he is getting the support he needs to access therapy, put the abusive relationship behind him and start the process of moving on with his life. Without powerLottery, the EIC wouldn’t be able to offer this support to people like Steve.
powerLottery is the only lottery made for our industry, by our industry. It gives players 40 chances to win cash prizes ranging from £50 to £1,000 every single month. A £10,000 draw bi-yearly gives entrants even more opportunities to win.
Sign up to play the EIC powerLottery here
