Emotional Abuse; Invisible Bruises.
29th November 2019
Emotional abuse (sometimes known as psychological abuse) is an ‘attack’ on an individual’s personality and mental wellbeing, rather than physically on their body. If you are on the receiving end of emotional abuse, it can be just as damaging as physical abuse and can cause as much (sometimes even more) upset. Thankfully, we are now at the stage where behaviour such as controlling or coercive behaviour towards another person is punishable by up to 5 years in prison (thanks to The Serious Crime Act 2015).
That being said, are you sure what constitutes as emotional abuse?
There are many types of behaviours that can be classed as emotional abuse, and these include:
How do we know when something is abuse?
Sometimes, people wonder whether ‘abuse’ is the right word to describe when talking about someone’s behaviour. A very common example of this is when facing relationship difficulties. Many might think that their partner shouts at them on a regular basis, but feel that ‘abuse’ is too strong of a word to use.
The determining factor of the above in order for behaviour to be classed as abusive is how it makes the individual on the receiving end feel.
If your partner makes you feel as though you don’t matter, makes you feel small, and you feel as though you cannot talk to someone about it- it’s abusive. If you feel as though you are restricted in what you can do, say or wear- it’s abusive. If you feel you have to change things about yourself, and change actions just to accommodate your partner- it’s abusive.
There might be many factors that in turn make your someone act in an abusive manner. They might have grown up in a home with a lot of anger and shouting which made them feel uneasy and insecure (this can be identified through counselling as an example). But what it is important to note is: although it helps with identifying why someone behaves the way they do; it is not an excuse.
- Women’s Aid, which has a 24-hour helpline (0808 2000 247). They can talk you through any issues and help you figure out what you’d like to do next. They also have an email service.
- Live Fear Free, advice on domestic abuse, sexual violence and violence against women (Wales), 0808 8010 800.
- The Men’s Advice Line (0808 801 0327) provides the same service for men.