Stop domestic violence. Stop tolerating it, stop minimizing it, stop explaining it away — and if you’re experiencing it, stop believing it is your fault or your destiny.
Domestic violence is not just physical. It includes emotional abuse, financial control, isolation, intimidation, and coercion. It happens in every socioeconomic group, every culture, every religion, every kind of relationship. It is about power and control, not love — though it is often confused with love by those caught inside it.
The patterns of abuse are well documented. They typically include a cycle of tension, escalation, incident, and reconciliation — where the abusive partner minimizes what happened, promises change, and shows genuine remorse, before the cycle begins again. Over time, the incidents often become more severe, and the victim can become more isolated, more doubting of their own perceptions, and more afraid to leave.
If you are in an abusive relationship, please know this: you deserve safety. You deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. The relationship you are in is not your fault. Leaving is complicated and can be dangerous, so please reach out for help from someone you trust or contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or text START to 88788.
If you know someone you believe may be experiencing domestic violence, don’t wait for them to ask for help. Let them know you see them, you believe them, and you’re there when they’re ready. Don’t push — the path out of an abusive relationship is complex. Just make sure they know they are not alone.
Domestic violence ends when communities refuse to stay silent. Use your voice.