#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou cites examples of abuse

On behalf of Johnson, Sclafani & Moriarty, Attorneys at Law posted in Domestic Violence on Thursday, May 19, 2016.

Currently trending in the Twitterverse is the viral hashtag #MaybeHeDoesntHitYou. Initially begun by a writer inspired to create dialogue about non-physical domestic abuse, the Internet has exploded with women’s examples of egregious treatment of women by their spouses and intimate partners.

While these incidents fall short of actual physical violence, make no mistake — they damage and scar even deeper than some types of physical abuse. Below are some harrowing examples experienced by women all over the world.

— ‘maybe he doesnt hit u. he just comes home angry at the world& broke& starts putting u down for being a useless parasite whos why hes broke.”

— “#maybeHeDoesntHitYou but threw a huuuge raging weeks long miserable fit coz u cut your hair ‘without his permission’.”

There are many ways that an abuser can cause severe psychological harm to his intimate partner. He might take control of a woman’s paycheck, leaving her with only a few dollars to spend. Perhaps he spouts verbal abuse at her, calling her ugly or fat, or undermining her social support system until she is totally isolated and dependent upon him for her most basic needs. Still others rape or sexually assault their wives and girlfriends if they don’t feel like having sex.

#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou is drawing attention to the different types of subjugation and abuse women suffer every day. Some husbands demean and demoralize their wives by exerting micro-control over all aspects of their lives, from the way in which they dress to the way they fold the laundry. These coercive controls can leave women intimidated and humiliated.

A partner may even sabotage his wife’s or girlfriend’s job until she is terminated. Some men will disable vehicles or cause embarrassing scenes at her workplace, forcing the employer to let her go.

If you are being victimized by a spouse or partner, a family law attorney is one source of assistance for leaving a nightmare relationship.

Source: Huffington Post, “Abuse Is Abuse — Even If He Doesn’t Hit You,” Melissa Jeltsen, May 16, 2016