#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou

[TRIGGER WARNING: VERBAL AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE]

Meanwhile, over on Twitter, there's a hashtag campaign going on that's actually about verbal and emotional abuse.

To me, the idea that verbal/emotional abuse is a thing is such a non-revelation. But there are still a lot of people out there who don't "believe" in it (as though that matters). To me, it's as simple as whether or not people have minds.

People have bodies. Those bodies can be hurt. They can be abused.

People have minds and emotions. Those can be hurt. They can be abused.

And thanks to all the people who don't recognize or take emotional abuse seriously, it can be easier to fall into an emotionally abusive relationship, harder to get out of said relationship, and harder to recover from that abuse. As someone who suffered from verbal and emotional abuse for many years, I can say that the most difficult thing about recovery is getting myself to believe that my emotions around the abuse are valid - that I'm not just being weak or overdramatic. That the things done to me were really wrong and that my reactions to such behavior were normal and understandable.

And because of that, anyone who doesn't "believe" that these types of abuse are real has my absolute and complete contempt.

Here are some gems from the hashtag:

#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he says it's "such a shame you're disabled" yet "you're so lucky I still choose to be w/ you when others wouldn't"

— Alysa Gracie (@AlysaGracie) May 9, 2016

#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he won't let you go home or see your friends very often or at all.

— Akilah Hughes (@AkilahObviously) May 9, 2016

#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but when you are upset @ him, he finds a way to twist it around so it's all your fault

— ANGY (@AskAngy) May 8, 2016

#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he embarrasses you in front of friends, shares your nudes or private messages, mocks/disrespects you in public, etc

— Wife School Dropout (@aliciafiasco_) May 8, 2016

#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he puts you down for the clothes you want to wear. Your body belongs to him so you cover up. You're property.

— Lauren (@l_s_t_a) May 8, 2016

#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he screams at you for the tiniest of things then apologizes and says he loves you only to do it all over again

— Diet Bell Hooks (@afrotastic_lex) May 2, 2016

#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but you lose sleep over when he will.

— Chelsea Thomas (@chlsthms) May 9, 2016