Dating violence is something serious that can happen to anyone in the world. Some may not notice signs of dating violence until it’s too late. Luckily, you’re never alone in these situations, and there are sites and hotlines you can reach out to if you ever find yourself in an abusive relationship.

Many assume the only form of dating violence is physical abuse, but that is far from the truth. There is also emotional and psychological abuse, and it’s just as harmful as any other form of abuse. 

Physical abuse is one of the easiest to spot in a relationship; it usually involves your partner placing their hands on you harmfully. Some examples of this are slapping, kicking, and even pulling hair. It can also be them throwing certain objects at you. Whether it’s a small or big object, if they meant it in a harmful way, it’s certainly a form of physical abuse.

Emotional and psychological abuse are pretty hard to spot sometimes, especially if you’re blinded by love. These two types of abuse contain a partner controlling the other, belittling them, or making them feel worthless. In a relationship, if your partner ever tells you that you aren’t good enough, that you deserve nothing, or tries to control what you wear and who you talk to, it’s very much a form of emotional and psychological abuse.  It may not seem as harmful as physical abuse, but it very much is. In some cases, the emotional and psychological abuse gets so bad that the victim starts to harm themselves.  

In all cases of abuse, some try to deny what’s going on. You can be so blinded by the love your abuser gives you that you choose to stay. They’ll tell you that they will change, that they’ll stop hitting you, and how it was an accident and will never happen again. Even though you know deep down that it’s not true, you choose to believe them because how can a person you love so much hurt you?

If a friend of yours is struggling with abuse but won’t admit to it, there are some signs you can notice to help them out: for physical abuse, you may see bruises on their body or scratches as well. Many victims of physical abuse wear long sleeves or turtle necks to hide scars. As for emotional and psychological abuse, it may be hard to spot, but there are some key signs. It could be a sign if you notice your friend cutting