A powerful poem about domestic abuse at Christmas is doing the rounds

A powerful poem about domestic abuse at Christmas has been doing the rounds online.

The piece highlights the struggles faced by many women who live with abusive partners and shows that the festive season is not always such a positive time for everybody. UK domestic abuse charity, Refuge, shared the poem last week. They encouraged people to read the piece as they would a normal poem first - and then read it backwards. https://twitter.com/RefugeCharity/status/1070362555372199936 It reads:

Our first Christmas together I had been so excited to have him around I had started tiptoeing down the stairs And he had a surprise waiting... he threw me a party He knows how to spoil a simple girl! He called me in front of everyone Then he cut me off a sprig of mistletoe We shared a kiss underneath Our friends cheered as outside, the snow silently settled.

Reading the poem forwards depicts a standard Christmas party where couples are kissing, friends are cheering, and snow is falling. Reading the piece backwards tells a different story though - one where a party is spoiled, a woman is assaulted, and expectations of a Christmas spent together are not met. The poem has been shared widely online with many people commending the charity for their creative way of raising awareness. If you have been affected by any of the details of this article, you can contact Women's Aid on 1800 341 900.