Effects Of Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse is commonly overlooked because people feel that physical abuse is worse, when in reality emotional abuse runs deep. Even though it does not leave scars on the outside, it leaves them on the inside. Due to the fact that emotional abuse cannot be seen as easy as bruises, it is often overlooked by witnesses and even the victims. Emotional abuse includes verbal abuse such as yelling, name-calling, blaming, and shaming of the victims. Perpetrators in emotionally abusive relationships aim to make their victims dependent on them. Abusers make their victims dependent on them by diminishing their victims self-worth and confidence. Abusers do this by attacking their victims with fear, guilt, shame, and intimidation. Emotionally abusive relationships tend to destroy victims’ self-worth …show more content…
With a low self esteem, the victims feel that they deserve all the pain that is being lashed out on them. Another common mistake that victims make is thinking that their abuse is not bad enough to speak up, but they are wrong. Common reasons that victims feel their abuse is does not qualify as abuse include: there is no physical abuse, the abuse has only occurred once or twice, the abuse seems minor, or the abuse halts when the victim becomes passive. What victims do not realize is that emotional abuse is equally as tragic as physical abuse. The number of occurrences of abuse does not matter. One should not allow themselves to be treated that way. Studies show that perpetrators will typically abuse again, and the abuse will usually gradually become worse than the first incident. Domestic abuse often escalates from verbal offense to physical offenses. The offenses grow more serious with time. When victims being to not comply with what the emotional abuser wants, then the abuser begins to release their rage with physical abuse (Smith & Segal,