Abuse has been, is or will be a part of life for more people than not. What is it, and what different kinds of abuse are there? How do you tell the difference between someone or a relationship just being crummy and abuse? How do you protect yourself or get away from abuse? How can you heal? How do you make sure that you aren’t abusive? This section answers these kinds of questions and concerns.
Abuse
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Articles and Advice in this area:
Advice
- Siân
Reclaiming your sexuality after sexual abuse can be complicated. Your previous partner has left you with a whole mess of shame and trauma. None of this is your fault, he is the one who chose to hurt and manipulate you, I’m sorry that you had to go through that and are now facing the work of picking…
Article
- Raechel Anne Jolie
Ready to take #MeToo to the next level?
Article
- Sam Wall
We interview Kitty Stryker about the new anthology she spearheaded, Ask: Building Consent Culture.
Advice
- Sam Wall
Hi Jaden, It sounds like you care about this person, and that you’re worried about her. You’re also in a difficult position, because it sounds like both you and she are minors, and the person she’s afraid of is an adult who’s supposed to be caring for her. That may mean that if she reaches out for…
Article
- Caroline Reilly
What is reproductive coercion, how can you spot it, and what can you do about it if you do?
Advice
- Sam Wall
You do know how to say “no” to sex. The issue is that you’re afraid to say it, and that’s a big red flag. I don’t know how your boyfriend reacted the one time you said no, but it was clearly intense enough that you’ve done the calculus and decided it’s better to have sex you don’t want than face…
Advice
- Mo Ranyart
First off, I’m sorry to hear about your sexual assault. If it helps to hear this, having a strong fear of pregnancy after a sexual assault isn’t unusual, especially when someone is feeling shame over it or worrying that they caused or deserved it in some way. Pregnancy can feel like an inevitable…
Advice
- Sam Wall
I can spot one big thing that’s making sex unpleasant for you, and it has zero to do with your brain or body being “wrong”. It’s got everything to do with your boyfriend. Before I go into why that is, there’s something else that needs addressing. You mention someone abused you as a child, and I’m so…
Announcement
- Heather Corinna
Another day, another famous person accused of abuse or assault. And with it, yet another wave begins of victim-blaming and denials from fans and people who know the person being accused of abuse personally or professionally. We’ve been here before, so many times. We’re all familiar with the kinds of…
Advice
- Amanda Seely
You say that you’re not sure whether or not to end the relationship, but it sounds to me like part of you knows that many aspects of your relationship aren’t healthy and that ending it is what needs to happen. It’s completely normal to have conflicting feelings about that, but it’s also important to…
