WILLEMSTAD – Women on Curaçao who feel trapped in unsafe or emotionally complex relationships now have access to a new support hotline. The initiative was launched by attorney and survivor-advocate Melrose Bloem, Caribbean Network reports.
Bloem says many women on the island appear strong and confident in public, yet privately endure emotional pain, manipulation, and control. She speaks from personal experience, having herself been in a narcissistic relationship.
According to Bloem, such relationships follow a predictable and destructive cycle. “In the beginning everything seems perfect, almost too good to be true. But later come the phases of humiliation, jealousy, and isolation,” she explains. “Then the partner shows remorse, promising to change—only for the cycle to start all over again.”
This recurring pattern, she says, often makes it extremely difficult for women to leave, as they hold onto hope that the “good phase” will return.
Bloem notes that many victims wait far too long before seeking help. That concern motivated her to establish the new hotline, a safe and confidential space for women to reach out anonymously via WhatsApp or telephone. She responds without judgment and aims to ensure that no woman feels alone while navigating these situations.
The support line, she emphasizes, is not only for women experiencing physical violence but also for those dealing with emotional abuse, manipulation, stalking, or coercive control—forms of harm that are often invisible but deeply damaging.
With the new hotline, Bloem hopes more women will find the courage to speak up, seek help, and start breaking free from relationships that undermine their safety, dignity, and well-being.