--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All too often women believe it is a sign…" description: "\"All too often women believe it is a sign of commitment, an expression of love, to endure unkindness or cruelty, to forgive and forget. In actuality, wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c48/bell-hooks-464_abuse_all-too-often-women-believe-it-is-a-sign_1896336.jpg" --- # All too often women believe it is a sign of commitment, an… ![“All too often women believe it is a sign of commitment, an expression of love, to endure unkindness or cruelty, to forgive and forget. In actuality, when we love rightly we know that the healthy, loving response to cruelty and abuse is putting ourselves out of harm's way.” quote by Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c48/bell-hooks-464_abuse_all-too-often-women-believe-it-is-a-sign_1896336.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c48/bell-hooks-464_abuse_all-too-often-women-believe-it-is-a-sign_1896336.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c48/bell-hooks-464_abuse_all-too-often-women-believe-it-is-a-sign_1896336.jpg) > “All too often women believe it is a sign of commitment, an expression of love, to endure unkindness or cruelty, to forgive and forget. In actuality, when we love rightly we know that the healthy, loving response to cruelty and abuse is putting ourselves out of harm's way.” [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True love means protecting oneself from abuse, not enduring it. **In simple terms:** Love is self‑preservation. Key Takeaway Prioritize safety over suffering. Themes love abuse self‑care boundaries Mood empowering serious Type non‑fiction inspirational When to use this quote - dating - family dynamics - support groups Key Concepts feminist theory psychology relationships Questions to Reflect On - How do you set healthy boundaries? - What does love look like when it protects you? A Different Perspective May conflict with cultural expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Actuality Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actuality-love-2769937/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Commitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) [Cruelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty/) [Cruelty Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty-abuse-2627122/) [Cruelty Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty-forgive-2769935/) [Endure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endure/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Expression of love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression-of-love/) [Expressions of love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expressions-of-love/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Forgive and forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-and-forget/) [Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiving/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Healthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healthy/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Rightly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-rightly-2665153/) [Response](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/response/) [Unkindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unkindness/) [Unkindness Cruelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unkindness-cruelty-2769936/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“Only a few of us believe in reality of dreams and actuality of love; but we all devote ourselves to that uncertainty and hesitation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/only-a-few-of-us-believe-in-reality-of-dreams-and-actuality-of-love/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [To love rightly is to love what is orderly and beautiful in an educated and disciplined way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/to-love-rightly-is-to-love-what-is-orderly-and-beautiful-in-an-2/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [To love rightly is to love what is orderly and beautiful in an educated and disciplined way. Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/p/plato\_7.htmlixzz1bRaRiaaD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/to-love-rightly-is-to-love-what-is-orderly-and-beautiful-in-an/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“There is a moment in your 20s when you know what it means to love rightly, but not how to do it, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-febos/there-is-a-moment-in-your-20s-when-you-know-what-it-means-to-love/) [Melissa Febos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-febos/) > [For too long we have occupied ourselves with responding to the consequences of cruelty and abuse and have neglected the important task of building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hoyt/for-too-long-we-have-occupied-ourselves-with-responding-to-the/) [John Hoyt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hoyt/) > [There was humiliations, cruelty, abuse, violence. And they were all the time trying to put to fight the prisoners one against the other, filling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-betancourt/there-was-humiliations-cruelty-abuse-violence-and-they-were-all-the/) [Ingrid Betancourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-betancourt/) > [I have found that the greatest stories of acceptance and love and the ugliest stories of hideous cruelty and abuse have equally been perpetrated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/i-have-found-that-the-greatest-stories-of-acceptance-and-love-and-the/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [“What Ireland shares with many societies around the world is a dangerous reality: once a group of people is isolated as being in some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-raftery/what-ireland-shares-with-many-societies-around-the-world-is-a/) [Mary Raftery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-raftery/) > [He has known joy and violence. Felt the warmth of children and the cruelty of abuse. He has nearly died saving lives and merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/he-has-known-joy-and-violence-felt-the-warmth-of-children-and-the/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [Among the different expressions of love are friendship, dedication to a cause or to a person, the love of parents for their children, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meicee/among-the-different-expressions-of-love-are-friendship-dedication-to/) [Meicee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meicee/) > [Art must be an expression of love or it is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-chagall/art-must-be-an-expression-of-love-or-it-is-nothing/) [Marc Chagall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-chagall/) > [I come from a loving, supportive family, and my mother taught me that there are more valuable ways to achieve beauty than just through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/i-come-from-a-loving-supportive-family-and-my-mother-taught-me-that/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [“Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. The real miracle is the love that inspires them. In this sense everything that comes from love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foundation-for-inner-peace/miracles-occur-naturally-as-expressions-of-love-the-real-miracle-is/) [Foundation for Inner Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foundation-for-inner-peace/) > [In Italy, food is an expression of love. It is how you show those around you that you care for them. Having a love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bastianich/in-italy-food-is-an-expression-of-love-it-is-how-you-show-those/) [Joe Bastianich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bastianich/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More by Bell Hooks > [Right now, for many Americans, class is being foregrounded like never before because of the economic situation. It doesn't mean that race doesn't matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/right-now-for-many-americans-class-is-being-foregrounded-like-never/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“Most folks believe we are hardwired biologically to long for sex but they do not believe we are hardwired to long for love. Almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/most-folks-believe-we-are-hardwired-biologically-to-long-for-sex-but/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [... we need to interrogate "reverence," for idolization can be another way one is objectified and not really taken seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/we-need-to-interrogate-reverence-for-idolization-can-be-another-way/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Couples who rarely or never have sex can know lifelong love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/couples-who-rarely-or-never-have-sex-can-know-lifelong-love/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [The power of patriarchy has been to make maleness feared and to make men feel that it is better to be feared that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-power-of-patriarchy-has-been-to-make-maleness-feared-and-to-make/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“I feel enormously blessed to be a successful black woman writer in this culture, but I have found my small fame, such as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/i-feel-enormously-blessed-to-be-a-successful-black-woman-writer-in/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Language is also a place of struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/language-is-also-a-place-of-struggle/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [In this culture, the phrase 'black woman' is not synonymous with 'tender,' or 'gentle.' It's as if those words couldn't possibly speak to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/in-this-culture-the-phrase-black-woman-is-not-synonymous-with-tender/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [It's interesting to look at all the aspects where everyday Americans, many of whom are not college educated, are thinking deeply now about our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/it-s-interesting-to-look-at-all-the-aspects-where-everyday-americans/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [The true teacher is within us. A good teacher is someone who can help you to go back and touch the true teacher within,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-true-teacher-is-within-us-a-good-teacher-is-someone-who-can-help/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“Advancing the notion that there can be many "feminisms" has served the conservative and liberal political interests of women seeking status and privileged class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/advancing-the-notion-that-there-can-be-many-feminisms-has-served-the/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [I love my family, even as I critique their dysfunctionalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/i-love-my-family-even-as-i-critique-their-dysfunctionalities/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [You must have courage to love, you have to have a profound will to do what is right to love, and it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/you-must-have-courage-to-love-you-have-to-have-a-profound-will-to-do/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [To truly love we must learn to mix various ingredients - care, affection, recognition, respect, commitment, and trust, as well as honest and open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/to-truly-love-we-must-learn-to-mix-various-ingredients-care-affection/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“Often emphasis on identity and lifestyle is appealing because it creates a false sense that one is engaged in praxis. However, praxis within any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/often-emphasis-on-identity-and-lifestyle-is-appealing-because-it/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) [Explore all 541 Bell Hooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All too often women believe it is a sign of commitment, an expression of love, to endure unkindness or cruelty, to forgive and forget. 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