Amy Schumer’s Powerful Message About Abusive Relationships

When Amy Schumer announced that she was writing a book, we expected that the collection of essays would be as hilarious, bawdy, and brilliant as the comedian herself. What we didn't expect, however, were some heartbreaking revelations from Schumer's past, including a dive into her experiences with non-consensual sex as well as an abusive relationship that she was in during her early twenties. In the book, titled The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, Schumer opens up about a physically and emotionally abusive relationship, recalling that her then-boyfriend often shoved her to the ground during arguments. In excerpts, courtesy of People and E! News, Schumer wrote that during a particularly heated argument one night, "he grabbed a huge butcher knife from a drawer. And that's when I was sure he was going to kill me." Schumer escaped, and while discussing the incident is undoubtedly difficult, she had some powerful words for anyone with similar experiences. "It can happen to anyone," she wrote. "You're not alone if it's happening to you, and you're not exempt if it hasn't happened to you yet." Schumer, who described herself in the essay as "strong, assertive, and independent," wrote in another part of the essay that she knew at the time she should have left her boyfriend, "but I thought no one would ever love me as much as he did." According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in three women will experience some form of domestic violence in her lifetime, and 60% of these incidents happen in the home. Schumer's comments shed light on how difficult it can be to leave an abusive relationship, and they also tear down the idea that it's a sign of weakness or somehow your fault if a partner resorts to physical or verbal abuse. To Schumer's words we would add that the signs of abuse aren't always cut-and-dry, and it's never too late to seek help.