If Love Is Kind...

                   ...Then Love Shouldn't Hurt

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Physical Abuse

"It is physical abuse if a person uses physical force without the free will permission of either:

a government of which the object of the force has a valid say

-or-

the uncoerced object of the physical force."⁷

Being beat up is no fun. Who wants to go around with a big black eye and a bruised up body? Nobody likes to be in pain and as human, we try really hard to avoid things that hurt us. But what do you do when the thing that makes you happy hurts you the most? It's a paradox, if anything, but in reality, it's also physical abuse, domestic violence, batter, assault, whatever you want to call it. The bottom line?

No one has the right to physically violate you. Period. End of sentence. 

Story Time!

Josh and Ashley are at lunch with their friends. Ashley mentions that she's going to the mall Friday night with her friends instead of going out with Josh. When Josh begins to protest, she reminds him that they've gone out every weekend for the past few months. They begin to argue over the issue. Ashley tries to avoid a scene by trying to calm him down. He immediately gets angry, slaps her face, and leaves. Ashley just sits there- confused, embarrassed, and extremely hurt.

What's wrong with that story? Can you figure out where the problem in the scenario is? That's right, the slap. Arguing is a normal part of learning to communicate with people. However, slapping someone is degrading and wrong. 

Did you know? That General Patton of the US Army in World War II nearly got court-martialed for slapping a solider. In the military, no matter what your ranking, you are not allowed to slap anyone ever.

If your partner has violated you in a violent manner, that is physical abuse. Slaps, kicks, pinches, punches, pushes, and shoves are all considered physical abuse. If someone is physically abusing you, get away from them immediately!! Your chances of survival when you stay with them go down the longer you put up with it. Believe it.

There is more to this story. Abuse has more than one face, more than one way to hurt. 

Are you ready to go deeper into it?

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Last modified: Monday February 21, 2005.