If you saw a woman with a black eye

[bruffin]

What is your automatic thought on how she got it?

Probably depends on the person, as much as people love to deny it, you do form opinions on appearance/behaviour.

So.... a woman walking around loudly f ing and blinding, I'd assume fight.
A very meak woman that seems on edge, I might assume DV.
But most of the time I'd probably assume accident.

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.

Yes if you were in jail I’d more likely think one of the inmates had hit you.

I had a massive black eye last year because I hit my head having an epileptic seizure. It really can be anything! One of my friends did ask me straight out if my partner had hit me, I actually really appreciated it (although I’m aware if he had I probably wouldn’t have told her).

Depends on the person. I know alot of boxers. Cyclists/runners I'd assume fell. Most people I'd assume some kind of accident.
Stranger, I probably wouldn't even care enough to wonder.

@bruffin

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 have to be honest I’m a little worried by this. I had the same falla few weeks ago and grazed my knee and hurt my elbow.

I’ve never heard of someone falling on a step, getting a black eye, a bruised forehead, a split lip and bruised leg. That would have been one hell of a fall to damage your face so badly.

Yeah probably a random accident. Also had horse headbutts and most impressively a reverse head butt from toddler DD.

@StamfordHill

Honestly, my first thought (for a stranger) would be DV, but I know that would be leaping to conclusions. It’s an unusual injury to get if not by being punched I would think. Maybe not though by this thread!

I have Ménière's disease and get drop attacks where I suddenly & violently lose my balance with no warning. Last attack I broke my fall with my face. Poor DH was being given evils everywhere we went. I tried to stay in until I healed because I looked an absolute mess - black eyes, broken nose, split lip, facial bruising & scrapes.

I had to go to A&E and was impressed they asked him to wait outside.

My 8 month old baby was playing with my smart phone a couple of days ago and all of a sudden smashed it in my face like an axe, on the edge of my skull next to my left eye ( completely my fault I know - I screamed in agony) . I had a "semi black eye" afterwards and a zoom job interview the next day.

I applied a bit of makeup and luckily the interviewers couldn't see it on video and I progressed to the next stage.

My face still hurts by the way 😂

*I have to be honest I’m a little worried by this. I had the same falla few weeks ago and grazed my knee and hurt my elbow.

I’ve never heard of someone falling on a step, getting a black eye, a bruised forehead, a split lip and bruised leg. That would have been one hell of a fall to damage your face so badly.*
I was holding a bowl of apples , unlocked the garage door cat dashed in , step is high and i caught my foot and launched my self across the garage and landed on my forehead and somehow right side, athough there is also a lump on my hairline on left side. because i was holding the apples , my hands didnt save me, thankfully didnt land on the cat or hit her with the bowl which was smashed to pieces
My gum got stretched over my tooth and it was pierced from the inside rght through. This looks like a bad spot from the outside, but another little bruise has appeared below it today

@Bluntness100
I have to be honest I’m a little worried by this. I had the same falla few weeks ago and grazed my knee and hurt my elbow.

I’ve never heard of someone falling on a step, getting a black eye, a bruised forehead, a split lip and bruised leg. That would have been one hell of a fall to damage your face so badly.

’ve never heard of someone falling on a step, getting a black eye, a bruised forehead, a split lip and bruised leg. That would have been one hell of a fall to damage your face so badly.*
I was holding a bowl of apples , unlocked the garage door cat dashed in , step is high and i caught my foot and launched my self across the garage and landed on my forehead and somehow right side, athough there is also a lump on my hairline on left side. because i was holding the apples , my hands didnt save me, thankfully didnt land on the cat or hit her with the bowl which was smashed to pieces
My gum got stretched over my tooth and it was pierced from the inside rght through. This looks like a bad spot from the outside, but another little bruise has appeared below that now

I would assume accident unless I had a reason to suspect otherwise. If it were someone I know, i would ask if they are ok.

I can remember my poor (very gentle) dad getting the cold shoulder from some of mum's friends for a while after a horse she was riding kindly deposited her face first into a jump pole. Think of it as a good sign that people are there for you if they do ask, because if it were DV better they support you than ignore it until.soemthing worse happens.

I would think dv if I am honest.

I got a black eye hitting my head on a shelf - bruise on forehead that drained into my eye.

Had to stay home tbh, so many people came up to me in the street "you shouldn't let him do that to you love" "where is he, I'll give him a black eye too" "you don't have to live this way"

I didn't even have a bf!

If she was around my age (30s) my first thought would be accidental toddler headbutting! Its happened to me, DM, and quite a few of my friends.

I wouldn't assume, but I would worry DV.

If I could get the person on their own away from other people hearing, I would ask quietly, 'are you OK?' and see how they responded. If I saw you out and about with your DH, I'd try to engineer an opportunity to get you on your own so I could check you were alright.

Sometimes it's a stupid accident, sometime it isn't. Always safer to gently enquire just in case the woman needs help.

If I had a black eye, I would expect people to ask, and I wouldn't take offence. It just shows that people do care.

I wouldn't assume anything, it's not that uncommon - and nothing about physical abuse.

several where my horse has headbutted me

Amongst people I know this is the most likely cause. I wouldn't assume anything. Could be all sorts of things and only if I knew the person and had reason to suspect would I go to DV.

I'd think ouch, unless they were a friend and suspected something more.

I fell at the beginning of March, I was herding a fat pug to go upstairs when he didn't want to and I was carrying my iPad etc and had long pj's on. He jumped on the sofa, I turned to shoo him off and suddenly found myself on the floor having banged my brow bone.

My black eye was massive and so many people (including many medical people) asked me what happened. Not one of them disbelieved my story or thought my DH had done it.

I’d wonder if like me she had a toddler who likes to throw his head back without warning when sat on her lap... that’s the only way I’ve gotten a black eye.
But when that happened I did worry that people would think I’d been in some kind of fight or beaten up! A colleague reassured me that she’d also had many black eyes due to playing rugby when I came to work feeling a bit embarrassed.

She’s had Botox in the eye area? Makes me bruise like fuck.

Would probably assume accident unless something about their demeanour would make me think fight or domestic violence.

A friend of mine got one from an accident in a swimming pool and she said her boyfriend got a lot of dirty looks when they were on the tube together.