Do you think, maybe, that even if HRT wouldn't touch the deepest stuff, that it would ease some matters and give you a bit more space?

It hurts to hear your friend is abusive toward you. I hope you can find ways to be as supportive toward yourself as you have been toward others - I get that the idea isn't always so comfortable if there's a lot of heavy history, but tending to yourself is the best way to tend to everything around you.