Most people know what physical abuse is. They also think when they hear of domestic violence that someone is being hit in the home. While chances are good that this is the case, there are other types of abuse that can be happening, and these can be harder to prove as they don’t leave a mark. Mental and emotional abuse are almost the same things and the terms can be used interchangeably. If you don’t know what this type of abuse entails, rest assured that it can be just as brutal as physical abuse but it does not leave a mark on the skin. Physical abuse will heal but emotional abuse is forever for a lot of people.
Emotional abuse isn’t always something that you can pick out right away. You can start to see patterns that tell you what is going on if you are privy to a situation for long enough. Those that use emotional abuse don’t always realize that they are doing it, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay. They don’t realize what they are doing because it’s something they grew up with or had done to them and they don’t know any better. That doesn’t make it okay, but it does explain why this is less noticeable than physical abuse.
Emotional abuse means someone is being controlled or hurt by someone else with words or actions but without any physical violence. Some men (and women) can control their spouse or others in the house with threats and tears that don’t mean anything. They are more into manipulation than real loving, trusting, relationships. Those that are under the spell of this abuse often have no idea what is going on and have no idea what a healthy and equal relationship is all about.
Sometimes physical and emotional abuse go hand in hand. In fact, quite often, that’s the case. Someone who likes to hit people to keep them in line will often use mind games to do the same – some times at the same time. This type of person often comes off as smug and in control no matter what, even though they aren’t. Don’t be mistaken, however, as there is no one profile for someone who abuses another. They come from all walks of life and they aren’t always easy to pick out of a crowd as they can be very kind and considerate outside of their own home.
You should know that emotional abuse is still domestic violence, even though it is not as easy to prove. The damage is always internal and no camera is going to catch bruises from this. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not real. If children are involved, they’re going to learn this way of dealing with others if they don’t get away from it somehow. You don’t want them to learn that this behavior is okay.
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