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Physical abuse

Physical abuse is when someone deliberately hurts or injures you. Hitting, kicking, beating with objects, throwing and shaking are all physical abuse, and can cause pain, cuts, bruising, broken bones and sometimes even death. No one has the right to hurt you in this way. Physical abuse can happen as a single event or over a longer period of time. 

Physical abuse

Physical abuse

Transcript

I’d always get the blame. If anything went wrong it would be my fault. She’d hit me, smack me, use whatever she could get her hands on… shoes, belts, whatever. My Dad didn’t care, he said I deserved it.

At school I used to wear trousers and jumpers to hide the bruises. I’d skive gym so no one could see them. My teacher called her in one day, about my behaviour - I got a right kicking that night. She went mad. She beat me till my nose bled.

I ran away that night. They wouldn’t care. I couldn’t stand it anymore so I called ChildLine and I told them I wanted to go into care. The counsellor calmed me down and we talked for ages. I told her what had happened and how long it’d been going on for. She agreed to contact Social Services. They came and picked me up that night.

Everything’s better for me now. I’m glad I didn’t hide it.

 
 
 
 
 

Girl holding out her hand to say 'stop'

What is physical abuse?
Physical abuse is when someone is hurting you. That could be hurting you with their hands, their feet, or an object - hitting, slapping, punching, pinching, kicking, shaking or suffocating you. It could include scalding or burning you, or pulling your hair out. If someone makes you swallow something that hurts, or makes you ill, including giving you medicine when you are not ill or do not need it, that's physical abuse too.

Sometimes when we are used to something happening it becomes part of normal life, which makes it hard to understand that what is happening is wrong. This can includes being brought up in a violent environment or being in a situation where abuse has been going on for a long time.

If this is happening to you, you might think that it's your fault. It isn't. No one has the right to hurt you. If you speak out about physical abuse, there are people who care - they will listen to you and help you. ChildLine is here for you and can help you if you are being physically abused. You can contact us online or by phone on 0800 1111.

Who could physically abuse me?
Physical abuse can be carried out by adults and also by other young people.  Bullying can often involve hitting, kicking and hurting and this is also a form of physical abuse.

Why do some people physically abuse other people? 
This is a difficult question to answer as people who physically abuse others may give different reasons as to why they hurt another person in this way. However there are no reasons that justify physical abuse. Abuse is wrong full stop.

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  • What should I do if I’m scared about being physically abused?

    If you are being physically abused and feel you are in immediate danger, you can call the police (dial 999) and they will come and check your safety. It can be hard to speak out about physical abuse and you might be worried about what will happen. It’s important that you are safe and happy and not worrying about being hurt in any way. It is ok to get upset about being physically abused, and this is a natural reaction to any kind of abuse. You can always talk to ChildLine if you are scared or upset about being physically abused or hurt.

  • I'm being physically abused, is it my fault?

    No it’s not your fault. No one has the right to hurt somebody else. If someone is hurting you they are aware of what they are doing and know it is wrong. They may say they have reasons for doing this but none of those reasons are acceptable. The person who is hurting you might tell you that it’s your fault, to stop you telling anyone about what is happening. It isn’t your fault. Everyone has the right to be safe.  No one has the right to hurt you. It shouldn’t happen and can be stopped.

  • How can I tell if someone is being physically abused?

    Physical abuse, like all types of abuse, affects people in different ways. If someone is being physically abused they might have obvious signs such as bruises or cuts, but these signs could also be hidden under clothes. They might be unusually quiet and withdrawn, or they might lash out and become angry or violent. 

  • I’m worried that my friend is being physically abused, what should I do?

    If you are worried about someone and think they might be being physically abused, you could try to talk to them, in private, about the problem. It’s important to let them know you are there for them and listen to them if they want to talk. You could encourage them to contact ChildLine if they don’t know who to talk to. 

    If they are in trouble, or someone is hurting them, then you should tell someone you trust about it. You could talk to an adult you trust like a teacher or a friend's parent. If you don’t know who to talk to, you can always talk to ChildLine.  We are here for you if you are worried about a friend being physically abused.

  • Does telling someone about what’s happening make me a grass?

    No, telling someone about something like physical abuse doesn’t make you a grass or a snitch. If you or someone you know is being physically abused, keeping things quiet is not going to make the situation any better. If you find someone you trust and tell them about it, they can try and find a way to help.

  • Will my parents/guardians get into trouble if I tell on them?

    If your parents are being physically abusive towards you, you might be worried about telling someone because you are scared that they will get into trouble. However it is their responsibility to keep you safe from harm and if your parents/guardians are hurting you, then it is important that you tell someone about it.

    If you decide to speak to a teacher or social services, ChildLine can support you with this. However once they know about what is happening they will do what they need to, in order to keep you safe. This might include making your parents/guardian aware that they should not be hurting you and/or giving you extra support.

    If you would like more information on this you can speak to someone at ChildLine and they can explain this in more detail. You can contact ChildLine by phone on 0800 1111 or talk to us online.

  • Who can help me if I'm being physically abused?

    Talking about what's happening to you to someone responsible is the first step to making the abuse stop. Talk to an adult you trust such as a parent or teacher and tell them what is happening. The Police and Social Services are there to protect you from being abused in any way and you can talk to them about it.

    If you are being physically abused or want to talk to someone about something that is worrying you, you can call ChildLine on 0800 1111 or contact us online and we can help.

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Domestic violence


Domestic violence is when a grown up attacks or threatens another adult in the family. Even if the aggression isn't aimed at you, it can still be very distressing.

Anything missing?

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Physical abuse 

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