What Is Verbal Abuse?

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Verbal abuse is a type of emotional abuse. It is when someone uses their words to assault, dominate, ridicule, manipulate, and/or degrade another

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Signs of Verbal Abuse

– You are afraid of your abuser – You feel like you have to walk on eggshells around the other person

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– You feel like you cannot share things about yourself with them for fear that they will mock or ridicule you – You're afraid to go out in public with them because of what they will say about you in front of other people

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Blaming

: This type involves making the victim believe they are responsible for the abusive behavior or that they bring the verbal abuse upon themselves.

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Condescension

– While often disguised as humor, sarcastic comments that are intended to belittle and demean the other person can be a form of verbal abuse.

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Criticism

This involves harsh and persistent remarks that are meant to make the person feel bad about themselves and are not constructive but deliberate and hurtful.

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Humiliation

– When you are insulted in public by a peer, a friend, a family member, or a dating partner, this can be particularly painful.

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Judging

This type of verbal abuse involves looking down on the victim, not accepting them for who they are, or holding them to unrealistic expectations.

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Manipulation

Using words to manipulate and control the other person is also a type of verbal abuse. This can include making statements like, "

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