A new hashtag on Twitter hashtag is raising awareness of emotional abuse in relationships.

#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou was started by Dominican-American writer Zahira Kelly, who had no idea it would go viral.

She told the BBC that she just wanted to help people to “suss out damaging situations.”

"Abuse is often seen as very cut and dry, and only physical. For several years now on social media, on a daily basis I've talked about many different forms of abuse and what they look like," said Kelly.

The thousands of tweets, using the hashtag, aim to raise awareness of the signs of non-physical abuse.

Twitter users are listing examples of emotionally abusive behaviour, such as "#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he manipulates you and controls you."

Emotional abuse, or coercive control as it is known, has gained prominence in the UK in recent months. Last year, a new law made it a criminal offense, with a jail term of up to five years. While a storyline on BBC Radio 4 soap The Archers raised awareness even further.

The harrowing plot, written in conjunction with charity Women's Aid, has followed Helen Titchener as she suffered emotional abuse at the hands of her husband Rob. Her plight led listeners to donate more than £76,000 to abuse charity Refuge. It shone a light on the signs of emotional abuse, and leading experts in the field have commended it for its honesty.