No one deserves to be hurt, physically or emotionally, especially by those that they love. But unfortunately, cases of loved ones mistreating the people around them are not that rare.
One netizen recently took to the ‘AITAH’ community to share his story about being mistreated by a person he loved – his wife. Becoming out of control when angry and often emotionally manipulative, she even turned to physical violence, which became the straw that broke the camel’s back. Scroll down to find the full story in the OP’s own words below.
No couple is immune to arguments, but they should never resort to violence to solve them
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
This wife’s way of solving issues with her husband caused him a concussion
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: cottonbro studio / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Huge_Landscape8910
Image credits: The Yuri Arcurs Collection / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Over 12 million people in the US alone are hurt by their intimate partners every single year
Unfortunately, loved ones turning to violence is not as uncommon as one might expect. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, in the US, an average of 24 people per minute are hurt by an intimate partner, adding up to more than 12 million women and men in a single year. Just over 24% of women and close to 14% of men aged 18 and older have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
To make matters worse, it’s not only physical violence that some people turn to. According to the aforementioned hotline, close to half of all women and men in the US—48.4% and 48.8% respectively—have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
The OP shared that the outburst that led to his concussion was probably the sixth incident of violent behavior from his wife in the last 7 years. However, he also revealed that she has turned to emotional violence in the past, too, “in the form of insults, constant belittling, and threats of divorce.” Needless to say, emotional violence can inflict wounds, too.
Image credits: Alex Green / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Male victims are often viewed differently than their female counterparts
Statistics show that women tend to suffer the violent outbursts of their partners more often than their male counterparts. However, a large share of men experience violence, too, and to make matters worse, they also often have to deal with the stigma surrounding the already difficult situation.
Talking about male victims of a**se, Dr. Jenny Mackay, Principal Lecturer in Forensic Psychology and Forensic Mental Health at Nottingham Trent University noted that historically, domestic violence has mostly been explained by notions of patriarchy, and the power and control that heterosexual men are assumed to hold over heterosexual women in relationships.
Writing for The Conversation, Dr. Mackay pointed out that people are primed to view women as victims, and men as likely perpetrators. “This means that when people are in relationships that break this model, we might not be as quick to spot problems, or to identify domestic a**se when it happens,” she wrote.
“This makes certain victims invisible (such as men or women in same-sex relationships), increasing the risk that the violence and a**se in their relationships will not end. And it makes it harder for them to report a**se and access appropriate support.”
Reporting the violence on his wife’s part is something several netizens encouraged the OP to do after reading his story. People in the comments expressed their support and shared advice, assuring the man that leaving his wife would not make him a jerk. On the contrary, many believed that leaving the relationship is the right—and the necessary—thing to do.
One netizen rushed to put the blame on the husband
Others expressed their support for the man and advised him to leave the relationship
The husband shared an update on how the story unfolded
Image credits: Huge_Landscape8910
