What is Verbal Abuse?
Verbal abuse is when a person uses words to attack, hurt or injure another person.
Also, if a person uses those words to gain power and control over another, or to
persuade that person to believe something that is untrue or harmful to them.
Examples of Verbal Abuse:
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Withholding information and not listening empathetically
Contradicting what the other has to say
Discounting verbal abuse as a joke
Blocking & diverting so the victim doesn’t get to discuss what he/she wants
Accusing & blaming the victim unfairly
Trivializing the victim’s thoughts, ideas & achievements
Undermining of the victim
Verbal threats: like “if you don’t change, I’m out of here”
Forgetting promises, agreements or previous discussions
Denial of the abuse
Abusive Anger; the need to “blow up”
What is Emotional Abuse?
Emotional Abuse has a lot in common with verbal abuse in that it is an attempt to
hurt, attack, or control the victim. Emotional abuse is often used to hurt the victim,
but there are other ways to abuse as well.
Examples of Emotional Abuse:
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Domination: An environment is set up so the abuser is in control
Intimidation: Plays on the victim’s guilt, fear, compassion, & values to get
him/her to behave a certain way even though that is not what is desired
Abusive expectations: Unreasonable demands are placed on the victim
Unpredictable responses: Drastic mood changes or sudden emotional
outbursts
Effects on Children:
Emotional abuse is a pattern of behavior that attacks a child’s emotional
development & sense of self-worth. It includes excessive, aggressive, or
unreasonable demands that place expectations on a child beyond his or her capacity.
The constant criticizing, belittling, insulting, rejecting, and teasing can be some of
the forms of verbal attacks. Also, it includes failure to provide the psychological
nurturing necessary for a child’s psychological growth & development – providing
no love, support, or guidance.
Observable and Behavioral Indicators in Children:
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Child rocks, sucks, bites self
Inappropriately aggressive
Destructive to others
Suffer from sleep, speech disorders
Restricts play activities or experiences
Demonstrates compulsions, obsessions, phobias, hysterical outbursts
Negative statements about self
Cruel to others
Shy, passive, compliant
Lags in physical, mental, & emotional development
Highly aggressive
Overly demanding
Are You a Perpetrator?
Do you…
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Blame or put down children?
Act cold & rejecting?
Indifferent to a child’s problems or welfare?
Withhold affection?
Show preferential treatment when there is more than one child in the family?
HELP!
YWCA Women’s Shelter:
24-Hour Crisis Hot Lines- (260) 447-7233 or 1-800-441-4073
YWCA Programs: Professional Advice, Support Groups, Safe Housing, Information
and Referral Service, and Women’s Shelters
Domestic Violence Education: (260) 424-4908 ext 406
YWCA Self- Sufficiency Program: (260) 424-4908 ext 266 or 256
Batterer’s Programs:
Brown & Associates Consulting- (260) 422-2930
Center for Non-violence- (260) 456-4112
Emergency Contacts:
Fort Wayne Police Department- (260) 427-1222
Allen County Sheriff- (260) 449-7661
Indiana State Police- (260) 432-8661
New Haven Police Department- (260) 493-1517
Men can be victims too…do
not hesitate to call!
Always Remember…
Men, women and children can be verbal and emotional abusers.
Men, women and children can be verbally and emotionally abused.
The most destructive emotional abuse is the emotional abuse we learned to inflict
upon ourselves.
Sources used for the creation of this Website:
The verbal abuse and the emotional abuse sections are from a book by Patricia Evans The Verbally abusive Relationship
The children section from (National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse, 1987)
http://www.joy2meu.com/emotional-abuse.html
Art by: Kristina Barlow, Age 16