When you hear the word "abuse", more often than not, you think of a physical act. We forget that abuse can mean more than just a slap or a punch. Emotional and psychological abuse are, in many ways, harder to recognize because they don't leave visible scars. This type of abuse can be as seemingly harmless, and sometimes even endearing, as telling you what clothes to wear (or not wear) to something more drastic like isolating you from everyone else in your life so you become dependent on your partner.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, "lack of physical violence does not mean the abuser is any less dangerous to the victim, nor does it mean the victim is any less trapped by the abuse."
#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou is a campaign created in an effort to shed some light on the ways people are emotionally and psychologically taken advantage of. The hashtag has been trending on Twitter, with people sharing their personal experiences:
#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he uses religion and his own patriarchal interpretation of the Bible to control you & take away your authority.
— Jory Micah (@jorymicah) May 13, 2016
#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he manipulates you into thinking that you're ugly, worthless, stupid and undeserving of all the good things in life
— Feminism Matters™ (@WeNeedFeminlsm) May 11, 2016
#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he holds every mistake against you, makes you feel dumb for forgetting things, and silences your opinion.
— Alyssa Eaton (@alyssanneaton) May 16, 2016
#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he ridicules your interests and hobbies to the point that he is able to mold you into the woman he wants to be with
— lara (@creepygrrl) May 8, 2016
#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he compares you to other women, criticizes your body and constantly tells you, you aren't doing enough for him.
— Iman A. (@aveiman) May 10, 2016
#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but you've watched him punch enough walls and destroy enough objects to wonder if you're next
— a wandering ghost (@pale_teen) May 12, 2016
— Grace (@grace_brown1) May 15, 2016
Have you ever been a victim of emotional abuse? Sound off by commenting below.
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