Women’s Emotional Abuse: Everything You Need to Know

POST CREDIT: Badlav Seva Samiti

Domestic abuse is indeed a form of emotional abuse. If you are not physically harmed, you may not believe you are being mistreated. However, emotional, and verbal abuse can have just as devastating short-term and long-term consequences as physical violence.

Emotional abuse can occur at any moment in an individual’s life. Women who are children, teenagers, or adults are all subjected to emotional abuse.

Emotional abuse is any type of abuse that is not physical in origin. It can range from vocal abusive behaviour and continuous criticizing to more subtle techniques like manipulation, intimidation, and a willingness to never be satisfied. It can be seen in multiple ways. Denial, aggression, and minimisation are three typical types of abusive behaviour.

This can be destructive to relationships, and everyone involved. Just because there is no visible scar does not imply the abuse isn't real or that it isn't a serious issue or even a criminal in certain countries.

Since there is no defined term for emotional abuse, it might have a definition that goes beyond psychological abuse and verbal abuse. Humiliating, blaming, and name-calling are just a few examples of verbal abuse that may have an emotional impact on a victim.

Verbal abuse impacts and even damages the victim's self-worth and mental well-being, resulting in an emotionally traumatized victim. The sufferer may suffer from serious psychological effects.

It would also include brainwashing methods, which may also be classified as psychological abuse, but emotional abuse includes manipulating victim's emotions.

The victim may believe that the abuser has influenced their emotions to such an extent that the victim is unable to recognise their own feelings about the issue or issues that the abuser is influencing. As a result, the victim's self-concept and independence are gradually lost.

 

Emotional abuse is sometimes referred to by experts as psychological abuse or "chronic verbal aggression." People who have experienced emotional abuse have poor self-esteem, changes in personality (such as withdrawing themselves from things they like doing), and may even become nervous, suicidal, or depressed.

Emotional abuse can occur unexpectedly. Some abusers may begin by behaving normally and then begin abusing after establishing a connection.

In the beginning of a relationship, some abusers may purposely flood you with affection and attention, including praises and desires to see you frequently.

The abuser frequently attempts to make the person feel deeply attached to them, as though the two of them are “against the world.”

Here are few examples of emotional abuse: 

⚠ Verbally attacking the victim.

⚠ Having control over what the victim has to do and cannot do.

⚠ Keeping personal things from the victim.

⚠ Intentionally causing the person to suffer.

⚠ Made to feel inferior or humiliated.

⚠ Keeping track of the partner's location and time.

⚠ Yelling at her for not having a child/ not having a male child.

⚠ Compelling the victim that she is insane.

⚠ Undermining the victim's self-esteem and/or confidence.

⚠ Making fun of the victim in public or in private.

⚠ Restricting the victim's access to money or other essential assets

⚠ When the abuser tries separating victim from their family and friends.

⚠ Interfering with the partner's ability to work.

Accusations, verbal abuse, name-calling, critiques, and gaslighting undermine a victim's sense of self over time to the point where they can no long see themselves truly.

As a result, the victim may tend to agree with the abuser and develop internal criticism. When this occurs, the majority of victims get stuck in abusive relationship, feeling that they'll never be good enough for anybody else.

How to deal with emotional abuse?

Prioritize yourself: When it concerns your emotional and physical wellness, you must prioritise yourself. Stop trying to please the one who is assaulting you. Take care of your own requirements.

Or do something to encourage you to stay positive and reinforce your identity.

Additionally, make sure you get enough rest and eat nutritious foods. These basic self-care actions can help you cope with the day-to-day difficulties of emotional abuse.

✔ Setting Boundaries 

Tell the abusive individual that they can no long shout at you, call you names, disrespect you, be nasty to you, or do anything else. Then, inform them of the consequences of engaging in this activity.

Tell them, for example, that if they insult you or call you names, the discussion will end, and you will walk out of the room. The important thing is to stick to your principles when it comes to setting boundaries.

Know it’s not your mistake and doesn’t blame yourself: If you've been in an emotionally abusive relationship for a long time, you might think there's something horribly off with you.

However, you are never the issue. Abusing implies making a choice. Stop punishing yourself for something over which you have no power.

✔ Stop fixing your abuser: 

Regardless of how hard you try; you would never be able to fix an emotional abuser by doing or being better. An abusive individual makes the decision to be abusive.

✔ Avoid Explaining yourself: 

Do not interact with someone who is abusive. In other terms, if an abuser attempts to create an issue with you, insults you, expects things, or rages with jealously, do not try to explain, comfort their feelings, or ask for forgiveness for something you did not do.

If possible, walk straight away from the situation. Interacting with an abuser simply leads to more harassment and heartbreak. You will never be able to make things right in their eyes, no matter how hard you try. 

✔ Work on ending that relationship: 

Try moving away from the situation. Dealing with an abuser just increases the pressure and misery. No matter how long it takes, you will never be able to make things right in their eyes.

Depending on your circumstances, you might have to end the relationship. Every case is unique. So, talk to a trusted friend, family member, or counsellor about your thoughts and ideas.

Emotional abuse can have deep impacts, but it can also serve as a starting point to violence and physical abuse.

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