My bf of just about 3 years does MMA stuff as a hobby and hasn’t had anyone to spar with for awhile. He got some new gloves he was really proud of and I was kind of in a silly mood so I asked if he wanted to have a “scrimmage” to try them out. I said I was going to kick his ass, CLEARLY joking. I do this a lot, we both get a kick out of me pretending I could best him in any physical competition. I’m very soft and we know I’d lose in any fight. He’s a big guy and I’m over a foot shorter than him and fairly petite and sure he’s hurt me on accident before because he can play a little rough, but nothing major and I always laugh it off.
I put on an extra pair of his gloves and asked about rules. I was kinda just jumping around being silly and he made a few light body shots and we were both laughing then he swung for my face and hit my front teeth. It hurt a little but nothing too bad. I told him don’t hit my face and I spent most of the time leaned away from him and holding both of my hands up. He was telling me all of this advice and trying to demonstrate how he could easily hit me as if I was ever actually going to use it and when my arms were down he hit me square in the face, enough that my nose was burning and my eyes were watering. I took them off and said that was enough. He did say sorry but I didn’t want to press it because I knew he’d tell me I was being a baby and I didn’t want to start a fight.
I know he plays too rough and I know that we literally put on gloves for this and I KNOW that I challenged him so maybe this is all my fault and I’m being crazy but I feel a little weird about him hitting me in the face. He’s been very testy and angry toward me lately. Last night he screamed at me a way he never had before because I made a comment about him being so annoyed by my presence all day. I just shut up and went to sleep after that because it freaked me out. He’s always been a little gruff and I love him just the way he is but it feels different now and I’m kinda scared he hates me or something. I know plenty of couples who do playful stuff like this and I genuinely can’t imagine any of them going for their gf’s face. Is it even worth mentioning? I was humiliated and I felt like it totally crossed some lines but maybe I shouldn’t have asked him to mess around knowing I could get hurt.
TL;DR my bf hit me in the face with boxing gloves while we were playing around and he’s been very angry lately, I don’t know if I’m reading into it too much
Comments
Not overreacting. Time to go. Now. Pack your stuff and leave. You asked him not to hit you in the face and he almost knocked you out.
This is not healthy
Definitely sounds like he took the opportunity to hit you in the face. I don’t think you are overreacting.
If he’s been very “testy” and “angry” lately and is deciding to not listen to your obvious and clear instructions (which shouldn’t even be bc it’s obvious the strength/size difference) then I would feel a bit concerned just past play fighting. Have you spoken to him about it now? And is he still behaving weird? But with the screaming at you and overall behavior I’m hearing, I would be careful and maybe talk to someone you trust.
Bad. Bad. Bad.
Think long and hard about your relationship- has he ever done anything like threaten you or almost raise his hand at you? Throw or break an object?
Photo your injuries, see a dentist, and be very aware of how he reacts next. Does he brush it off? Act concerned for you? Apologize for injuring you?
Please be careful!!!
He punched you in the face and youre wondering if you’re reading it too much?
Girl, you’re under reacting and you should get out of that relationship. Even if he’s been angry lately he shouldn’t have taken it out on you. What would he do next time if he’s angry? Beat your ass to a pulp? Pls leave this man, this man is not okay and is abusive.
Underreacting – sounds like he’s been abusive for a while
You are not overreacting at all. This is exactly how the vast majority of abusive relationships start. The aggression disguised as “play” is far too common. It always starts out as jokes, or playing around, testing how far they can push your boundaries. “He did say sorry but I didn’t want to press it because I knew he’d tell me I was being a baby and I didn’t want to start a fight.” This right here. The fact that you know he would minimize/mock your pain says everything. Please be careful. This is not ok.
He hit you in the face twice, the second time after you explicitly told him not to. He hurt you on purpose. For your safety I think you should end things. Don’t tell him until you have somewhere to stay lined up (ideally with a friend he doesn’t know very well) because a man who hurts you when he’s angry is a dangerous man.