'We still have this outdated view that domestic abuse is a man hitting his partner'

Sharon Gaffka speaks about the evils of coercive control and misogynistic abuse she received after leaving Love Island’

- MAYA OPPENHEIM

Social media personality Sharon Gaffka has spoken out about the dangers of coercive control and how abuse goes far beyond physical attacks.

The Love Island star, who was trolled after appearing on the reality show and suffered serious misogynistic abuse, said many people did not realise they were experiencing domestic abuse and criticised the lack of education about the issue.

The 28-year-old lent her backing to The Independent’s Brick by Brick campaign, which has been launched in partnership with leading domestic abuse charity Refuge to build a safe house for women escaping abusive partners. Generous donations from readers, celebrities, politicians and campaigners have enabled the campaign to raise money for a second property.

Speaking to The Independent, Gaffka warned society is “still very uneducated and very, very unwilling to understand what domestic abuse actually is” and the repercussions it can have on people’s lives. She said: “We still have this very outdated view that domestic abuse is a man hitting his partner, but it can actually show up in many different forms.”

Gaffka argued society deals with domestic abuse by “cleaning up the mess, as opposed to actually stopping it in its tracks”. The reality star turned campaigner, an ambassador for Refuge, explained she got involved with the organisation after leaving Love Island.