• Social media can be used as a tool for abusers to control and monitor their partners: Just like how your mom uses her detective skills on Facebook to keep tabs on you, abusive individuals take it to the extreme by using social media as a way to constantly check up on their partner’s every move.
• Abusive individuals may use social media platforms to spread rumors, harass, or publicly shame their victims: Think of that one person in high school who would start nasty rumors about others just for kicks. Well, imagine them with an evil agenda and access to Instagram comments section – not pretty!
• Victims of abusive relationships might feel pressured to portray a perfect image on social media, hiding the abuse they are experiencing: It’s like putting filters on your life both figuratively and literally. They have this constant pressure of posting happy pictures while secretly dealing with emotional turmoil behind closed doors.
• Perpetrators often manipulate their partner’s online presence by dictating what they can post or who they can interact with on social media: Remember when your significant other got mad because you liked someone else’s picture? Now multiply that possessiveness by 1000… yeah, it gets ugly real quick.
• Some abusers may use fake accounts or aliases on social media to stalk, intimidate, or threaten their victims anonymously: Ever received those creepy messages from strangers asking if you’re single? Yeah well imagine getting those messages from someone pretending not only to be a stranger but also having malicious intentions towards you. Scary stuff!
• The constant connectivity of social media can make it difficult for survivors of abusive relationships to escape from their abuser’s reach: You know how sometimes we all need some space away from our loved ones? Well, try being trapped in a digital cage where there is no escaping even during bathroom breaks! Yikes!
• Online harassment through direct messages, comments, or posts is common in abusive relationships involving social media: Remember that time you got into a heated argument in the YouTube comments section? Now imagine having those arguments with someone who knows all your vulnerabilities and uses them against you. Not fun at all!
• Sharing personal information without consent is another tactic employed by perpetrators using social media platforms: We’ve all had our fair share of embarrassing moments caught on camera, but imagine if someone took it to the next level and shared intimate details about your life without asking for permission. Talk about invasion of privacy!
• Abusers may use social media to isolate their victims from friends and family by monitoring and controlling their online interactions: You know how some people become super clingy when they’re in a relationship? Well, picture that clinginess multiplied by infinity as they monitor every friend request, like, or comment you make.
• Social media platforms can amplify the emotional abuse experienced in abusive relationships, such as public humiliation or belittlement through comments or posts: It’s bad enough when we get roasted by strangers on Twitter; now imagine getting publicly humiliated by someone who claims to love you. Trust me, no amount of retweets will make up for that kind of pain.
• Victims of abusive relationships might feel trapped due to fear of retaliation if they try to seek support on social media: Ever been afraid to post an unpopular opinion because you didn’t want backlash? Well multiply that fear exponentially knowing there could be serious consequences for speaking out against your abuser.
• In some cases, abusers may manipulate images shared on social media to portray a false narrative about the relationship or make their victim appear unstable: Remember when your ex posted pictures together acting like everything was perfect even though behind closed doors it was chaos? Yeah well this takes it up several notches where manipulation becomes an art form.
• The addictive nature of social media can exacerbate feelings of dependency and control within an abusive relationship: Just like how we’re addicted to scrolling mindlessly through our feeds, imagine being addicted to a toxic relationship where every like and comment from your abuser becomes the source of validation you desperately crave.
• Perpetrators often exploit digital technology, using GPS tracking apps or location tags on social media posts to monitor the movements of their partners without consent: You know how sometimes it’s nice to share your whereabouts with friends? Well, imagine someone knowing exactly where you are at all times without your permission. Creepy much?
• Social media can provide a platform for gaslighting, where abusers deny or distort events and then use screenshots or messages as evidence against their victims’ accounts: Remember that time when someone denied something even though there were receipts proving they were wrong? Now picture that happening constantly in an abusive relationship but with way more manipulation involved.