Domestic violence (or domestic abuse) is a deeply serious issue that impacts millions of people regardless of age, gender, or background. My thoughts are based on the consensus of global health and safety organizations: abuse is never the victim’s fault, and everyone deserves to live free from fear.
Domestic violence is rarely just about physical hitting. It is a pattern of behavior used to gain power and control over another person.
The Different Forms of Abuse
Recognizing that abuse isn’t always physical is the first step in understanding its complexity:
Emotional/Psychological: Constant criticism, “gaslighting” (making you doubt your own reality), or threats to harm you, your children, or pets.
Coercive Control: Monitoring your phone, isolating you from friends and family, or dictating what you wear and where you go.
Financial Abuse: Controlling all the money, preventing you from working, or putting debt in your name so you cannot afford to leave.
Physical & Sexual: Any form of physical force or pressuring/forcing sexual acts without consent.