Verbal abuse
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Verbal abuse (also called reviling) is a form of abusive behavior involving the use of language. It is a form of profanity that can occur with or without the use of expletives. Whilst oral communication is the most common form of verbal abuse, it includes abusive words in written form.
According to the University of Cincinnati, there is no universally accepted definition of emotional or verbal attack.
Verbal abuse is a pattern of behavior that can seriously interfere with one's positive emotional development and, over time, can lead to significant detriment to one's self-esteem, emotional well-being, and physical state. It has been further described as an ongoing emotional environment organized by the abuser for the purposes of control.
The underlying factor in the dynamic of abuse can be viewed as the abuser’s low regard for him- or herself. As the abuser may fear not being "good enough" and/or meeting other’s expectations, the abuser may attempt to place their victim in the position to feel or believe similar things about him or her self.
Verbal and emotional abuse can occur to one of any race, culture or sex, though the vast majority of reported cases are women.[1][2]
Verbal abuse typically increases in intensity over time and often escalates to physical abuse as well.
With couples usually during intense verbal abuse, the target of the abuse usually suffers by having lower self-worth and low self-esteem. Because of this, victims may fall into clinical depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. Verbal abuse, although not physically harmful and having no visible signs, is damaging nonetheless. Verbal abuse is arguably the most common type of abuse which is emotionally traumatic and not yet looked at or taken nearly as seriously as the many other forms of abuse. In reality, however, moderate to severe cases of verbal abuse in which the victim is under constant attack, especially a child, may be even more detrimental to a person or child's health than physical abuse or other forms of abuse.
Verbal abuse starting from a young age may contribute to inferiority complex, machismo attitudes, and many other negative behaviors that plague many people into adulthood. People who feel they are being attacked by a verbal abuser on a regular basis should seek professional counsel and remove themselves from the negative environment if possible. Staying around verbal abusers is damaging for a person's overall well-being and all steps to change the situation should be pursued. Children in school violence maybe victims of verbal bullying. A child should be watched closely by professionals if they notice changes ex: isolation or, not having friends, or knowing the child to change friends or grades falling, as professional teachers and guidance counslors this should be observerd and action should be taken to ask the child how are they doing maybe make a note of this, ask them if changes are going on in their lives to cause this type of behavior. Or a call to the parent however they may be feel as if they are medaling in others business or it may cause more problems for the child but these children whom do display changes or out of the ordinary may be suffering from verbal abuse. Professional teachers should never verbally abuse children though it can cause a very deep rooted phsycological damage to a child, who maybe suffering from adaption during a struggle with hardships or emotional and physical changes during puberty.
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[edit] Legal aspects
In some countries, charges can be laid for verbal abuse under certain circumstances. Verbal abuse leaves no outer mark and no proof.
Dependent on the abuse and situation, verbal abuse may constitute a crime.
- In most of Europe, Canada, and South Africa, laws specifically prohibit hate speech.
- In the United States, verbal abuse is generally protected by the First Amendment. Direct insults, however, may be prohibited under the "fighting words" doctrine if likely to produce violence. There are no "hate speech" laws in the United States.
- In South Africa, the crime of crimen injuria (unlawfully, intentionally and seriously impairing the dignity of another) covers a range of instances of verbal abuse.
- Slander, libel and defamation are crimes in many countries.
[edit] Signs of verbal abuse
The best way to recognize signs of verbal abuse in an unhealthy relationship is to simply know what a healthy relationship is and what it looks like. Consider the things people value in relationships and the things they want in a healthy and strong relationship. These could be respect, understanding, forgiveness, acceptance, love, affection, responsibility, hope, faith, prayer, trustworthiness with the ability to connect deeply with someone, and the freedom to be oneself within healthy boundaries. When we think about what constitutes a healthy relationship, it becomes easier to identify when we are in an unhealthy relationship.
Signs of verbal abuse exhibited by the abuser are:
- Actions of ignoring, ridiculing, disrespecting, and criticizing others consistently.
- A manipulation of words.
- Purposeful humiliation of others.
- Accusing others falsely for the purpose of manipulating a person's decision making.
- Manipulating people to submit to undesirable behavior.
- Making others feel unwanted and unloved.
- Threatening to leave the family destitute.
- Placing the blame and cause of the abuse onto others.
- Isolating a person from some type of support system, consisting of friends or family.
Once the victim identifies and recognizes these signs of verbal abuse and realizes the signs he or she can do better, the person can be proactive about finding help. If left too long in an abusive relationship, the person will start feeling hopeless.[citation needed]
Actions the victim or target can take include:
- Find a trusted friend, a support group, or a counselor to discuss the situation. A network of supportive relationships can strengthen and uplift.
- Learn about yourself and healthy relationships. It helps to make better choices.
- Know and remember that we are all valuable and deserve to be in relationships that enhance our worth, bring out the best in us, and where we feel safe.
[edit] Examples of verbal abuse
- Words/phrases/actions to reject someone/make someone feel unimportant, e.g., ignoring, and saying things such as "Who wants to be with you?" or "No one would go out with you," not allowing someone to sit with you, not allowing someone to join in events, saying people with disabilities/learning difficulties are pests, telling someone of a different race/ethnicity to get 'back to where they came from', being curt and unfriendly with someone (daily, all the time or frequently), telling someone who has a facial/body disfigurement to leave the premises as they might be creating a 'health hazard/causing discomfort to other customers.'
- Making unkind comments/saying unkind words about someone's clothes, appearance, race, religion, ethnicity, what they drink and what they eat are forms of verbal abuse.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Miller (1996), No Visible Wounds: Identifying Nonphysical Abuse of Women by Their Men, Random House Publishing Group, ISBN 9780449910795.
- ^ (Evans 1996, p. 211) Evans (1996), Verbally Abusive Relationship: How to Recognize It and How to Respond (2 ed.), Adams Media Corporation, ISBN 9781558505827.
