First and foremost, LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN to your sisters, friends, relatives, and co-workers. Do NOT tell them it will BE OKAY, because it won’t, not without help. This doesn’t “get better with time.”
Each time I speak to a group, I am approached by five, six or ten people who want to talk to me about someone they know is a victim. Maybe they are talking about themselves. Maybe they are talking about their children.
Talking is the first step toward breaking the cycle. There are many other steps and many resources. In our Fix the Hurt website, you will find a section labeled “What You Can Do To Help.” Be supportive, educate yourself and listen, listen, listen. And no matter how charming the abuser may seem, when you listen, believe.