Abuse — Tag Meaning
The broadest canonical abuse tag, used when an author wants a single unmistakable warning or when the abuse spans several forms. More specific tags (physical, emotional, child, domestic) usually accompany it.
What to Expect From "Abuse" Fics
Abuse is part of the story in some form; the companion tags define which. As a filter, excluding it catches a wide swath of difficult content.
How to find Abuse fics on AO3
On AO3, click any tag to see every work that uses it, then refine with the "Filters" sidebar — combine it with your fandom or ship, set a rating, or exclude tags you don't want. See our AO3 filtering guide for the full walkthrough.
Browse "Abuse" works on AO3Popular Fics Tagged "Abuse"
Real examples from AO3's most-kudosed works:
Never Conquered, Rarely Came
by thisisthefamilybusiness
Care and Custody
by esama
Cold Little Heart
by seducedbycurls
Blade of the Sun
by BladeoftheSun
Nonlinear
by queerjab
You See Them
by JuneLuxray
Related Tags
Physical Abuse
A canonical tag for bodily violence within a relationship of power or trust, distinguishing abuse from combat or stranger violence. Family and partner contexts are its usual territory.
Tag guide →
Emotional/Psychological Abuse
The canonical tag for abuse that leaves no bruises: degradation, isolation, control, and fear sustained over time. Fandom writes it often and seriously, frequently in stories about recognizing such abuse for what it is.
Tag guide →
Child Abuse
A canonical tag warning that abuse of a child is depicted within the work itself, not merely referenced. Authors apply it to give readers a clear, unambiguous heads-up about one of the archive's most sensitive subjects.
Tag guide →
Past Abuse
A canonical tag for abuse located in a character's history rather than the story's present, leaving the form unspecified. It is the general-purpose backstory-abuse tag, refined by more specific companions when authors want precision.
Tag guide →
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