#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he controls what you wear, who you talk to, forces you to distance yourself from your friend and tries to make himself the only person in your life.
#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he is controlling, overprotective, jealous, and angry all the time.
This past week, the #MaybeHeDoesntHitYou social media campaign went viral. While it is unclear who initially began the social campaign, the message is clear. Domestic violence is much more than something physical, domestic violence can be verbal and emotional abuse as well. However, the domestic violence you hear about most is that which turns into physical violence. Chances are they did not start off by hitting you, but more likely than not, it comes down to violent acts.
#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but his words hurt just has bad as if he did.
Domestic violence does not look the same in every relationship because every relationship is different. However, one thing most abusive relationships have in common is that the abusive partner does many different kinds of things to have more power and control over their partners. It can be hard to tell if your partner will become abusive early in a relationship; chances are, it will not become abusive until months later.
#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he threatens to kill himself if you break up with him.
#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but if he did, he would make it seem like it was your fault.
If you are beginning to feel as if your partner or a loved one’s partner is becoming abusive, there are a few behaviors and actions that you can look out for. Watch out for these red flags, and if you are experiencing one or more of them in your relationship, reach out to someone who you trust to get help or call one of the hotlines at the end of this article.
- Telling you that you can never do anything right
- Showing jealousy of your friends and time spent away
- Keeping you or discouraging you from seeing friends or family members
- Embarrassing or shaming you with put-downs
- Looking at you or acting in ways that scare you
- Controlling who you see, where you go, or what you do
- Preventing you from making your own decisions
- Threatening to harm those you love
- Preventing you from working or attending school
- Destroying your property
- Intimidating you with guns, knives, or other weapons
- Pressuring you to have sex when you don’t want to or do things sexually you are not comfortable with
- Forcing you to check in with them at certain times
- Beginning to physically harm you
#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he forces you to give him all of your social media and phone passwords "just to make sure you aren't cheating."
#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he makes every problem he has your fault.
Domestic violence is much more than hitting, their words can hurt just as badly as a knife. While the campaign is called #MaybeHeDoesntHitYou, it's important to know that both men and women commit domestic violence. There are so many options for help that so many people do not take advantage of. You can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 and they can help you get the help you need.
#MaybeHeDidntHitMe but I hope he reads this article.
