Abuse

What is reproductive coercion, how can you spot it and what can you do about it if you do?

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

I think you are reading this situation absolutely right. That thing he's doing, when you reach out to talk and he requests pictures and then threatens to break up if you won't? That is a truly manipulative and toxic dynamic. It's also a major red flag in terms of a relationship being abusive...

As you have probably guessed from the title, I have some thoughts about what the source of the issue is, and boy howdy is it not you. Let's look at an abridged version of events from an outside perspective, because when you're in a relationship, with all the feelings that involves, it can be hard to...

First off, I want to say that it takes an incredible amount of strength to have gone through (and continue to go through) what you have and survive. You've managed to grown and thrive in spite of other people doing awful things to you. That's not nothing. And that strength is going to come in handy...

How do you support a teen as they recover from sexual assault?