What we say echoes louder than we think. Some phrases are so common that we no longer notice them. Yet they protect those who commit violence and leave the women who suffer it alone. Can you tell the myths from the facts?
“It's not violence, it's just a complicated relationship.”
Fact. A difficult relationship asks for compromise. Violence creates fear. You don't have to be beaten to be suffering violence: control, insults and manipulation are violence too.
“He's not like that. He's a good person.”
Fact. An abuser can be charming in public. Most violence happens behind closed doors, away from prying eyes. Seeming kind doesn't mean doing no harm.
“If it were really that bad, she would have left.”
Fact. A woman living with violence often stays out of fear: of revenge, of loneliness, of poverty. Don't ask why she hasn't left. Ask how you can help her.
“Women report abuse out of revenge.”
Fact. Reporting abuse is one of the hardest decisions there is: it means exposing yourself, reliving everything, often not being believed. Women who do it, do it to save themselves.
Why it matters
Every lie that gets repeated takes away someone's hope of a better tomorrow. And it makes asking for help harder, because it makes the very person who was harmed feel guilty.
Not all violence leaves bruises. But every kind leaves scars.
Let's bust the most harmful lies together: share this article. And if you need help, 1522 is free, anonymous and open 24 hours a day.
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