My girlfriend used to hit me when she got drunk. She was the sweetest girl in the world til she’d had too much. I knew when I was in trouble because she’d start to whisper things while we were out. Asking if I was looking at other women, or if I wished she wasn’t there. Then we’d get home and she’d get angrier and angrier until she’d start to smack me around the head. I could never hit back of course. She’d often draw blood and leave bruises and I was scared of her, but felt really ashamed. She always said sorry the next day. She threw a beer bottle at my head one day and it smashed and cut my forehead. She tried to stop me leaving the house because she was scared I’d go to the police.. but I managed to get out and finally told a friend who was amazing and picked up all my stuff for me. To this day, he is the only one who knows about it. I wish it was easier for men to talk about this stuff.