Why Does He Hit Me?

When I was 4 years old one of the boys on the playground always made fun of my hair. I would tell my teacher and she said “he’s just teasing you because he likes you.” I tried my best to ignore him but one day I just couldn’t take it anymore. I told him to “leave me alone.” He ran up to me and hit me in the face. I was only 4 and he was 6 years old. I started to cry. My mother took me to the hospital so that I could get stitches. When we got to the front desk the male receptionist asked me what happened. When I told him, he smiled and said “he probably likes you.” At that moment I finally understood why boys “teased” me. 

I remember the night my boyfriend hit me. It was the first time he had ever put his hands on me. I know he loves me because he tells me this all of the time. I am only 16 and this is my first relationship. I am so confused. Why did he hit me? Is love supposed to hurt?

How many times have you been teased by a boy at school as a child? How many boys did you have to fight on the playground because they hit you or "teased" you?  How many adults told you "he teases you because he likes you?"

 What kind of message are we sending our young daughters into the world with? I am so tired of hearing parents or teachers tell their young girls that they are being "teased" by a young boy because the young boy "likes" them. This is conditioning our young boys to believe that it is acceptable to mistreat women. Domestic violence is associated with a psyche that is developed at a young age. It is not okay to teach young girls that boys hit them because they like them.  

Disclaimer: If you ever find yourself in a situation where you wonder “why does he hit me? Is it because he loves me?” Remember: LOVE DOES NOT HURT!