If you saw a woman with a black eye

[bruffin]

What is your automatic thought on how she got it?

well, if they are a stranger, I wouldn't assume anything.

If I know them, it depends on them and what I know of their relationship

Given the stats on male violence against women I'd probably wonder if she got hit my a partner tbh

I have sometimes noticed a sadness in the eyes accompanying women with black eyes, and in those instances I always felt sure they'd been hit by someone supposed to love them.

Given what we know about how common domsatic violence is, I do wonder about whether women assuming it's a clumsy accident rather than an arsehole at home is believing what they want to rather than facing up to the reality that a lot of women live in fear behind closed doors.

If I were wearing my hard hat I might even be tempted to say it feels pretty disingenuous

I've got epilepsy and have a few tonic clonic (grand mal) seizures every year. Depending on what I hit when I fall, I have black eyes/a bruised face to varying degrees.

People know this, yet my poor lovely OH is often ribbed about 'beating me up'. I previously had an abusive DH and no-one ever challenged him, even when he was abusive to me in public. I really feel bad for my OH, he doesn't find it funny (nor do I).

Man beat her up.

I wouldn't make any assumptions although if it was someone I knew I'd ask what happened. I passed out once in a shopping centre and ended up with two black eyes so I know it can happen from random accidents.

Cat got in my way as i went into the garage and i tripped over the step and landed on my forehead. That was wednesday and the bruising round my eye has come out this morning. I also put my tooth through my chin but that looks like a bad spot and got a swollen lip. Also got a few bruises on my leg and a lump on my head.
Dh and i have been married 30 years andis kindest gentlest person so i hope people dont think its him, as my dad used to beat my DM, but dont think he ever touched her face

I'd assume accident, because that's what's caused most of the black eyes I've had (surgery on my nose caused the other two).

But I am unusually clumsy.

I wouldn't really assume anything. I currently have a black eye and split lip; I'm a nurse who got assaulted by a patient. My last black eye; playing ultimate frisbee at uni! Only two black eyes I've ever had and neither have been DV related.

I wouldn’t think anything of it either unless I saw you regularly and you had bruising more often.

My friend had awful swelling and black eyes from her rhinoplasty and her dad was basically her chauffeur while she recovered. She kept having strange men pull her away from him and ask if she was OK.

@GrimDamnFanjo

I was wondering if this was. Thread about Ghislsine Maxwell...

I was thinking, I wouldn't make any assumptions, but reading your post I realise that I did make assumptions when I saw Maxwell's picture this morning.

Interesting, for me it would depend. I wouldn’t automatically think something as an isolated incident. But when a friend genuinely broke her ankle I was suspicious as her partner has form.

A single black eye I'd assume she had an accident.
I passed a young fella with his hood up I caught sight of his face he was battered black and purple.
I assumed he got a bad beaten probably from other boys.

I’d consider if she was being beaten yes.

I would wonder if she had been hit.

I wouldn't assume anything and if I didn't know her I wouldn't think anything. If I did know her it might make me a bit more observant for signs that she might not be OK, even if her explanation was plausible.

The last (only) time I had a black eye it was because 2yo DS2 threw his head back with laughter when I was reading to him on my lap.

I’d assume she’s been hit

I wouldn’t assume anything if I didn’t know them.

But of the 4 women I have known to have a black eye or facial injury/bruising, 3 have been due to domestic violence.

In all honesty, I would have a fleeting thought that she had been hit by someone, not necessarily her partner though.
I once smashed my face in when I fell backwards down the stairs, literally from top to bottom while I was hoovering them.
The hoover followed me and unfortunately landed square on my face. It was one of the original Dyson and weighed a ton.
Two black eyes, a broken nose and four stitches later, everyone was wondering if my husband had attacked me. Some people actually accused him outright!
Poor bloke daren't leave the house for weeks.

I havnt seen the Ghislane Murdoch pictures

I have to be honest, I’m also considering if you’re being beaten becayse that sounds like a shit load of injuries from falling the way you describe. It’s very unusual to be so very injured like that.

I’d also ask op. Are you ok?

I’d think another person as accident prone as me
I would ask them about it, cos I’m nosy like that

Mine came from the dog accidentally headbutting me so I wouldn't necessarily assume it was from DV unless it happened more than once

I'd not think anything, I've had numerous black eyes, not one single one from another person.