Our entire life is formed of relationships so it’s no surprise 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 women victims saying they’ve considered suicide as a result.

A few years ago, Steve was in a relationship 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 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 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 only one session with this therapist, Steve has said he is starting to feel better and more positive about the future.

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 would not be able to offer this support to people like Steve. That’s why we need you to become a powerLottery player to help EIC to continue supporting our industry members.

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