158 Domestic Violence Quotes That Shatter the Silence and Stigma

If you or someone you know is in an unsafe situation, these domestic violence quotes can help provide the type of help and support you may need.

Every year, millions of people worldwide are victims of domestic violence.

In the comment section below, let us know which domestic violence quote resonated with you.

What are the benefits of reading these domestic violence quotes?

Domestic violence can be one of the most difficult types of situations to talk about and escape from.

And sadly, it can happen to anyone – women, men, children, spouses, and even friends.

These domestic violence quotes will:

• Remind you that no one is immune to domestic violence
• Help you spot the signs and help someone
• Give you the courage to leave your current situation

If you or someone you know is in an unsafe situation, these domestic violence quotes can hopefully encourage you or them to seek the support and resources to get yourself or the person you know out.

If you are a survivor of domestic violence, these quotes can help remind you of your strength. 

Domestic Violence Quotes on Courage

1. “At any given moment you have the power to say this is not how the story is going to end.” ― Christine Mason Miller 

2. “And here you are living despite it all.” — Rupi Kaur​

3. “Grief does not demand pity; It requests acknowledgment.” ― Jude Gibbs

4. “Trauma may happen to you, but it can never define you.” ― Melinda Longtin

5. “Don’t judge yourself by what others did to you.” — Cody Kennedy

6. “All violence is the illustration of a pathetic stereotype.”– Barbara Kruger

7. “Our wounds are our sources of growth.”— Rachel Naomi Remen​

8. “You survived the abuse. You’re gonna survive the recovery.” — Olivia Benson

9. “The enemy doesn’t stand a chance when the victim decides to survive.” — Rae Smith

10. “Violence is a dark contrast to what so many of us still believe in – love.” – Robi Ludwig

Domestic Violence Quotes on Surviving

11. “You are not the darkness you endured. You are the light that refused to surrender.” ― John Mark Green

12. “Violence doesn’t equal strength.” – Becca Fitzpatrick

13. “I have the power to change my physical and emotional experience.” ― Patricia Dsouza

14. “Even child abuse specialists do not routinely screen for domestic violence. This shows how much more education we need to do, even among experts, to understand the known links between violence of the child and the parent.” ― Jocelyn Brown

15. “Raise your heart, not your hand.”― Abhijit Naskar

16. “I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.” — Carl Jung

17. “Never let a man put his hands on you without your permission.” – Melda Beaty

18. “All marriages are sacred, but not all are safe.” — Rob Jackson

19. “Domestic violence is the front line of the war against women.” — Pearl Cleage

20. “The COVID-19 crisis has fueled the rise of domestic violence.”― Asa Don Brown

Domestic Violence Quotes on Recovering

21. “Suspicion of Abuse gets to your toes before you see it in your face.”― Auliq Ice

22. “In violence, we forget who we are.” — Mary McCarthy

23. “[Domestic violence is] a carefully laid physical, financial and psychological trap.” — Leslie Morgan Steiner

24. “Domestic violence and sexual assault go hand in hand.” — Georgia Taylor

25. “Culture is no excuse for abuse.”― Davinder Kaur

26. “A survivor’s story is always a reality check.” – Jerald Monahan

27. “One day, I plan to love so loudly, my body abandons every demon harvesting me.” — Arati Warrier

28. “There is life after abuse. This is mine.”― Lindsay Fischer

29. “Use the darkness of your past to propel you to a brighter future.” ― Donata Joseph

30. “Domestic violence can occur at any socioeconomic level.”― Asa Don Brown

Domestic Violence Quotes on Strength

31. “I was heartbroken, scared, I had a lot of anxiety, I was worried, I felt weak, and I had no idea how I was ever going to come up with the strength. But I just closed my eyes and took a blind leap. I knew I had to get out of there.” ― Bob Casey Jr

32. “Overcoming abuse doesn’t just happen, It takes positive steps every day. Let today be the day you start to move forward.” ― Assunta Harris

33. “You can recognize survivors of abuse by their courage. When silence is so very inviting, they step forward and share their truth so others know they aren’t alone.” ― Jeanne McElvaney

34. “Your growth comes not as you work harder to get something you don’t have, but as you live in the reality of what you have already been given.” — Nancy Guthrie

35. “Trauma creates change you don’t choose. Healing is about creating change you do choose.” — Michelle Rosenthall​

36. “If you want to know where to find your contribution to the world, look at your wounds. When you learn how to heal them, teach others.” — Emily Maroutian

37. “Sometimes the shame is not the beatings, not the rape. The shaming is in being asked to stand judgment.” ― Meena Kandasamy

38. “When it comes to abuse, you believe there’s no way out. There is always help. There is always a way out.” ― Rev. Donna Mulvey

39. “Violence never brings permanent peace. It solves no social problem: it merely creates new and more complicated ones.” – Barack Obama

40. “If we are to fight discrimination and injustice against women we must start from the home for if a woman cannot be safe in her own house then she cannot be expected to feel safe anywhere.” ― Aysha Taryam

41. “Survivors of abuse show us the strength of their personal spirit every time they smile.” ― Jeanne McElvaney

42. “Abuse is the weakest expression of strength. It is weakness to destroy what you ought to protect, build and make better.” ― Kingsley Opuwari Manuel

43. “The best revenge is creating your own happiness despite a person’s wish to take you down.” ― Melinda Longtin

44. “The more that we choose not to talk about domestic violence, the more we shy away from the issue, the more we lose.” ― Russell Wilson

45. “I now see how owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do.” — Brené Brown

46. “Each time a woman stands up for herself without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” — Maya Angelou

47. “We can all take responsibility for helping to bring about change, and keeping our friends and colleagues safe from domestic violence.” – Charles Clarke

48. “Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t.” —​Rikki Rogers

49. “Threatening a current or former partner isn’t passion, or love, or heartache. It’s violence, it’s abuse and it’s a crime.”― Miya Yamanouchi

50. “Never believe a man’s claim that he has to harm his partner in order to protect her; only abusers think this way.”― Lundy Bancroft

51. “Physical aggression by a man toward his partner is abuse, even if it happens only once.”― Lundy Bancroft

52. “I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.” – Mahatma Gandhi

53. “Abuse, regardless of how it manifests itself, will destroy the trust and, in the end, can destroy the relationship.” – Dr. Ramona Probasco

54. “All violence consists of some people forcing others, under threat of suffering or death, to do what they do not want to do.”– Leo Tolstoy

55. “Domestic violence is frequently excused when alcohol and other substances are involved.” – Asa Don Brown

Powerful domestic violence quotes

56. “Every woman who thinks she is the only victim of violence has to know that there are many more.” – Salma Hayek

57. “Sexual assault and domestic violence are difficult things to talk about. Talk about them anyway.” — Mariska Hargitay

58. “From every wound there is a scar, and every scar tells a story. A story that says, -I survived.” ― Fr. Craig Scott

59. “I realize now I am a survivor. I am a stronger woman for opening my eyes and stepping away from someone who didn’t respect themselves and would never respect me.” ―  Lori

60. “The boys had always been her reason to stay, but now for the first time they were her reason to leave. She’d allowed violence to become a normal part of their life.” ― Liane Moriarty

61. “I want to tell people that family violence happens to anybody, no matter how nice your house is, no matter how intelligent you are.” — Rosie Batty

62. “The effects of abuse are devastating and far-reaching. Domestic violence speaks many languages, has many colors and lives in many different communities.” — Sandra Pupatello

63. “Leaving an abusive partner is a very difficult thing to do. It frequently feels like you are failing, or destroying your family, or not trying to work things out, or not giving your partner a second chance.” ― Blaine Nelson

64. “Someone once asked me how I hold my head up so high after all I have been through. I said it’s because no matter what, I am a survivor, not a victim.” — Patricia Buckley

65. “Domestic violence is an epidemic, and yet we don’t address it. Until it happens to celebrities.” — Nelsan Ellis

66. “The time when domestic violence is the most lethal is when the person is trying to leave the situation.” — Julie Johnston

67. “Men have an important role to play in sending out the message that real men do not hurt or abuse their partners.” — Ian Somerhalder

68. “Pregnant women are more likely to die from homicide by domestic violence than any other cause of death.” — Lois Capps

More domestic violence quotes

69. “The best protection against rape, stalking, and domestic violence is to raise men who both understand that women are different, and would never dare take advantage of this difference.”— Wendy Shalit

70. “Domestic violence is not just perpetrated by a husband or a partner. Families too are a party to it. To my mind, violation of basic human rights by anybody around us – a parent, a sibling or a relative – is domestic violence.”― Balroop Singh

71. “One of the most basic things we can do is let the men in our lives know it’s not okay to mistreat a woman.” — Tim McGraw

72. “I don’t know what kind of people you grew up with but raising your hand to the powerless is no act of manliness.”― Sarvesh Jain

73. “It’s not enough for women to speak out on the issue – for the message to be strong and consistent, women’s voices must be backed up by men’s.” — John Conyers

74. “Violence is violence and can in no way be misconstrued as discipline under any circumstance cultural or otherwise.”― Aysha Taryam

75. “No woman has to be a victim of physical abuse. Women have to feel like they are not alone.” – Salma Hayek

76. “We have your backs. We’re going to keep fighting for you. And we’re going to keep working until every survivor is safe and has opportunity to thrive.” – Julian Castro

77. “We need to replace victim-blaming and shaming with community outrage that domestic violence, domestic abuse, and intimate partner violence is happening.” – Survivor Statement from The Power of WE Workshop

78. “It is not the bruises on the body that hurt. It is the wounds of the heart and the scars on the mind.” — Aisha Mirza

79. “Enough to anyone who excuses sexual assault. Enough to anyone who turns a blind eye to the violence so many women, children, and yes, men are subjected to. Enough condoning toxic masculinity with euphemisms like ‘boys will be boys.’ Enough. Together we can, and we will, put an end to domestic violence.” – Julian Castro

80. “When women come together united in vision, we can shake things up.” – Caroline “Carrie” Bettinger-Lopez

Domestic Violence Quotes To Keep You Away From Toxic Relationships

81. “I lived in Complexo do Alemao until I was 12, dealt with domestic violence in my childhood and faced difficulties in life.” — Maria das Gracas Silva Foster

82. “Women’s Aid is a fantastic charity which has my full support. I am proud to call myself a Real Man, a man who will stand up against domestic violence.” — Neil Fox

83. “They don’t like the thought of someone else making demands on the person whom they see as belonging entirely to them.” — Jodi Picoult

84. “The rule of thumb is that if someone is able to be verbally or physically abusive, he or she is able to understand that the behavior is wrong.” — Edward T Welch

85. “Domestic violence isn’t funny, especially if you live together.” — Dov Davidoff

86. “Domestic violence was a way of life in my home growing up, my brother and I watched helplessly numerous times as my mother was beaten and knocked unconscious while we dialed 911.” — Troy Vincent

87. “A lot of people think that domestic violence is if someone hits, kicks, [or] punches you.” — Robin McGraw

88. “Young men need to show women the respect they deserve and recognize sexual assault and to do their part to stop it.” — Barack Obama

89. “My mother and I are big domestic violence advocates.” — Brandon Marshall

90. “It can be really frightening for young people to see their parents fighting. Remember, you’re not alone and there are people out there who can support you.” — Neil Buchanan

Domestic Violence Quotes To Put an End to Abuse and Pain

91. “The most brutal form of domestic violence is the violence against unborn children, and this particular bill would prohibit abortions after the fetus feels pain, which is 20 weeks and older.” — Joseph Fischer

92. “Luke was a little boy in a growing body that felt pain and sadness and fear for his mum, and he always believed he would be safe with his dad.” — Rosie Batty

93. “I’ve overcome neglect and deprivation, abandonment and abuse.” — Tatum O’Neal

94. “Unfortunately, many children throughout the UK witness violence in the family home. Let’s stand up for those children. Domestic violence needs to stop.” — Shaun Wright-Phillips

95. “Those of us who have the eyes and ears of the media have a responsibility to amplify the voices of the voiceless.” — Peter Gabriel

96. “So many people suffer from abuse, and suffer alone.” — Pamela Stephenson

97. “Women initiate most domestic violence.” — Dov Charney

98. “Hey ladies, I’m willing to do my part to end domestic violence by posting a selfie online. Some might call me a hero.” — Nev Schulman

99. “I never want anyone to be sitting where I’m sitting and to have lost their son, because I can never get Luke back.” — Rosie Batty

100. “There are many women in their late teens and early twenties who have either experienced violence in a relationship or have witnessed it at home in their childhood.” — Miquita Oliver

Domestic Violence Quotes To Gain Emotional Stability

101. “Domestic violence and violence against women in general seems to be a big problem everywhere in the world. It seems to me this problem comes from stress, pent up anger, frustration, and all kinds of negativity within human beings.” — David Lynch

102. “These women need to feel that we’re all aware of what they may be going through, to give them the confidence to speak out.” — Anna Friel

103. “She could just pack up and leave, but she does not visualize what’s beyond ahead.” — Núria Añó

104. “It’s so important to raise awareness of this problem that continues to affect 1 in 4 women at some point in their lifetime, regardless of career, wealth or background.” — Anna Friel

105. “I am a survivor of domestic violence.” — Brooke Axtell

106. “Nowhere in the world is a woman safe from violence. The strengthening of global commitment to counteract this plague is a movement whose time has come.” — Asha-Rose Migiro

107. “Men say they love independence in a woman, but they don’t waste a second demolishing it brick by brick.” — Candice Bergen

108. “We can all do something to help end domestic violence. A Real Man would never abuse his partner or children, and I am proud to put my name to the Women’s Aid Real Man campaign.” ― Ricky Whittle

109. “Sexual, racial, gender violence and other forms of discrimination and violence in a culture cannot be eliminated without changing culture.” — Charlotte Bunch

110. “Victims of domestic violence need assistance and deserve justice, I commend the crime unit’s efforts to put offenders behind bars and reach out to victims.” — Bob Riley

Domestic Violence Quotes By Advocates and Survivors

111. “The most dangerous thing about domestic violence is that it often starts with small acts of cruelty and escalates.” ― Tony Porter

112.”Domestic violence is not a one-time event, it’s a pattern of behavior.” ― Beverly Gooden

113. “Domestic violence is not an argument, it’s a crime.” ― Ida B. Wells

114. Domestic violence is not just a women’s issue, it’s a human rights issue.” ― Emma Watson

115. “Domestic violence is not a choice, it’s a learned behavior.” ― Andrew Fivecoat

116. “Domestic violence is not a minor disagreement or a conflict between partners. It is a pattern of intentional and coercive behavior used to maintain power and control.” ―Gwen Carr

117. “Domestic violence is not just physical, it can be emotional, financial, and sexual.” ― Rachel Louise Snyder

118. “Domestic violence is not a private matter, it’s a public health crisis.” ― Jill Biden

119. “Domestic violence is not a love story, it’s an abuse story.” ― Laura Bates

120. “Domestic violence is not just hitting, it’s control that one person has over the other person.” ― Rosie O’Donnell

Domestic Violence Quotes To Break The Silence

121. “This is not love. It is a crime… You can’t look the other way just because you have not experienced domestic violence with your own flesh.” — Salma Hayek

122. “It’s incredibly dangerous to leave an abuser, because the final step in the domestic violence pattern is: kill her.” — Leslie Morgan Steiner

123. “Domestic violence is a conversation and a concern that is now easily a top-five hot button issue that needs to be addressed in our society.” — Ray McElroy

124. “Just to be clear… Violence is never okay Attacking another person is not cool It is morally wrong and offensive to hit another person If you support the actions of abuse then you condone the behavior” ― Germany Kent

125. “Putting up with an abusive person is like living with a pig in a pigsty and pretending not to care about the smell.” ― Michael Bassey Johnson

126. “Domestic violence is never an acceptable form of communication.” ― Asa Don Brown

127. “Our society should be safe for women to live, they are prone to rape, domestic violence, and all manner of abuses, we need to do all we can in order for us to protect them from harms.” ― Bamigboye Olurotimi

128. “People expect all stories of abuse to be loud and angry but they’re not.

Sometimes they’re quiet and cruel and swept under the rug.” ― Trista Mateer

129. “We are a society of excuses, shame and blame; we avoid accountability and often project our responsibility when involving domestic violence.” ― Asa Don Brown

130. “To help break the cycle of domestic violence, we must allow survivors to take time off from work without fear of losing their job, to go to court, to see a doctor or to find a safe place to live.” — Lucille Roybal-Allard

Domestic Violence Quotes to Empower and Combat Domestic Violence

131. Domestic violence is not just a crime; it’s a sin against humanity that we must collectively fight against.” ― Malala Yousafzai

132. “Love should never hurt. It should never know the cruel fist of violence.” ― Michelle Obama

133. “Silence in the face of domestic violence perpetuates the cycle. Speak up, break the silence, and save lives.” ― Desmond Tutu

134. “Real strength is not in the power to harm others, but in the courage to stand against violence and protect the vulnerable.” ― Emma Watson

135. “Domestic violence is a dark stain on society’s conscience. We must relentlessly work towards its eradication.” ― Kofi Annan

136. “Empathy and compassion are the antidotes to domestic violence. Let’s foster these qualities in our communities and create a safer world for everyone.” ― Dalai Lama

137. “Every survivor of domestic violence deserves to be heard, believed, and supported. Let’s create a world where they can heal and thrive.” ― Oprah Winfrey

138. “Love is not control; it’s freedom. Domestic violence shatters the essence of love. Let’s rebuild it with understanding and respect.” ― Angelina Jolie

139. “Ending domestic violence starts with us – in our homes, in our communities. Let’s teach our children love, not violence.” ― Nelson Mandela

140. “Domestic violence doesn’t discriminate; it affects people of all backgrounds. We must unite in our efforts to end this epidemic.” ― Malala Yousafzai

Domestic Violence Quotes to Create Awareness and Break the Silence

141. “Domestic violence is a reflection of our society’s failures. It’s time we rewrite this story with love, respect, and equality.” ― Hillary Clinton

142. “The scars of domestic violence may not always be visible, but they are real and lasting. Let’s be the healers, not the perpetrators.” ― Ellen DeGeneres

143. “True strength is in breaking the cycle of violence, not perpetuating it. Let’s choose kindness and empathy over cruelty.” ― Pope Francis

144. “Domestic violence is a human rights violation that affects us all. Together, we can create a world where no one lives in fear.” ― Malala Yousafzai

145. “Abuse thrives in silence and secrecy. Let’s break the silence, support survivors, and put an end to domestic violence.” ― Michelle Obama

146. “Love should empower, not imprison. Let’s redefine love as a force for good and eliminate domestic violence.” ― Emma Watson

147. “In the fight against domestic violence, our weapon is awareness, our armor is empathy, and our victory is a world free from abuse.” ― Kofi Annan

148. “The greatest act of love is protecting the ones you love from harm. Let’s choose love over violence in our homes and communities.” ― Dalai Lama

149. “Domestic violence is a global issue that requires a united front. Together, we can break the chains of abuse and build a safer world.” ― Oprah Winfrey

150. “Survivors of domestic violence are not weak; they are incredibly strong. Let’s honor their resilience and support their journey to healing.” ― Angelina Jolie

151. “Emotional abuse is any type of abuse that is not physical in nature. It can include everything from verbal abuse to the silent treatment, domination to subtle manipulation.” ― Beverly Engel

152. “Yet, when child sex offenders are brought to justice and serve time for their offenses, they are often released into unsuspecting communities and left free to resume their sexual attacks.” ― Bob Ney

153. “An injury is much sooner forgotten than an insult.” ― Lord Chesterfield

154. “As novices, we think we’re entirely responsible for the way people treat us. I have long since learned that we are responsible only for the way we treat people.” ― Rose Wilder Lane

155. “As a Goodwill Ambassador for UNIFEM, I’ve learned that violence against women knows no boundaries. Join me in helping women worldwide who have suffered unthinkable violence.” ― Nicole Kidman

156. “The attacks of which I have been the object have broken the spring of life in me… People don’t realize what it feels like to be constantly insulted.” ― Edouard Manet

157. “Nearly one in four women will experience domestic violence during her lifetime. And slightly more than half of female victims of domestic violence live in households with children under age 12.” ― Lucille Roybal-Allard

158. “I represent an affluent district, but when I worked to form my county’s first battered-women’s shelter, some nights there were no beds left. Violence against women crosses all economic lines.” ― Lynn Woolsey

What are you doing to prevent domestic violence?

If you have experienced domestic violence or know someone who has, these domestic violence quotes can help provide the type of help and support you may need right now – even if what you’re going through cannot be fixed by words.

Asking for help is just one of the first steps toward recovery.

This type of situation is difficult to deal with, but you don’t need to go through it alone. 

Overcoming a domestic violence situation can push a person to their limits.

But, if you are a victim, then know that within you, there is the strength to continue the fight for survival and live a happy, safe life. 

What’s your biggest takeaway from these domestic violence quotes and sayings?

Do you have any other helpful quotes to add?

Let us know in the comment section below.