Emotional Abuse: Emotional abuse is more delicate. Quite often such abuse goes unseen, as even the victim does not know that she is being abused. Although emotional abuse does not leave black eyes or visible bruises, it often seriously damages your self-esteem. Emotional abuse is cruel and scars your essence.
Verbal Abuse: When thinking of Verbal Abuse we tend to imagine the abuser hurling insulting names at the victim, and while this obviously does happen, there are many more forms than name-calling. The abuser may use insulting, critical, or humiliating remarks, he may withhold conversation and refuse to discuss issues, or he may keep you up all night insisting on talking when you need sleep. Verbal abuse undermines your sense of worth, your self-concept by discounting your opinions, ideals, or beliefs.
Verbal abuse include: Yelling or shouting at you; insulting you or your family; making threats; being sarcastic about or criticizing your interests, opinions or beliefs; humiliating you either in private or in company; sneering, growling, name-calling; withholding approval, appreciation, or conversation.
All of these abusive behaviors prohibit normal, healthy interaction between the two adults as well as a lack of respect for individual thoughts, feelings, and opinions. A healthy, mutual interaction and conversation between two persons respect and promote the right of each partner to their own individual thoughts, perceptions, and values.
By Relationship Expert Stephany Alexander
Photo Courtesy of WomanSavers
