An adult hurt me: What is physical abuse
What is physical abuse?
It’s when an adult hurts or causes pain to any part of your body on purpose.
It may leave marks, bruises or cause a serious injury.
What it might look like
It might be hitting you hard with a hand or an object like a belt.
It can also be kicking, pushing, choking, burning or throwing things at you.
It may make you feel…
Scared, sick in the tummy, shaky, worried or feel like curling up in a ball.
This is your body telling you that it doesn’t feel safe.
Physical abuse is NOT ok
All kids have a right to feel safe at home.
It’s NEVER ok for someone to physically hurt you.
It’s NOT your fault
There is nothing you can say or do that makes it OK for someone to hurt you.
Abuse can happen to anyone and is always wrong.
Things you can do
Say “Stop” or “No” if you can and it feels safe to do.
Find a safe place away from the person as soon as you can.
Find someone to talk to
Find somebody you can trust and feel safe with.
It might be an older relative or friend, a Kids Helpline counsellor or a school teacher.
You are not alone
If you need some extra help – give us a call, start a webchat, or read one of our other articles.
This content was last reviewed 19/07/2018
