| Not all abuse involves broken bones and bruises. Not | | | | the psychological and emotional effects of abuse. |
| all abuse is physical in nature. Many abuse victims deal | | | | The abused often suffer from depression which can |
| with the pain of emotional abuse, which is often very | | | | lead to a number of health problems and even suicidal |
| destructive and damaging. Unfortunately, because | | | | thoughts and actions. One of the best things a victim |
| there are not black and blue bruises or horrible scars, | | | | can do to move past this damage is to acknowledge |
| lots of people do not take emotional abuse as | | | | that there is in fact a problem and look for ways to |
| seriously as they should. Even the victims themselves | | | | regain control over his or her life. |
| are likely to minimize how bad the situation really is. | | | | Empowerment is the key, and victims can find it in a |
| Emotional abusers like to make their victims feel | | | | number of ways. For one, just having the courage to |
| worthless because feelings of self-worth make it | | | | stand up to your abuser and let them know that you |
| easier for the abuser to be controlling. Usually the | | | | are aware of your own worth can make a |
| victims of this manipulation feel like they do not have | | | | difference. Finding the courage to get a separation or |
| any other choice and they feel like they do not have | | | | divorce, get a new job, and start a new life is one |
| any inherent value outside of the relationship. These | | | | way that victims can prove to themselves that they |
| feelings can make it extremely difficult for the | | | | are not completely helpless and that they have |
| emotionally abuse to get out of the relationship and | | | | worth. Sometimes all it takes is a friend encouraging |
| stay away for good. | | | | a victim to learn martial arts and enroll in a Self |
| If you have ever been the victim of emotional | | | | Defense program. |
| abuse, you can probably spot it from a mile away. | | | | 5 Ways Abusers Manipulate Others |
| Each emotional abuser uses the same kinds of tactics | | | | 1. Threats to withdraw privileges, hurt or harm the |
| to intimidate his or her partner—shame, blame, | | | | victim or the victim's children and threats to leave or |
| name-calling, yelling, and fear are the most common. | | | | report the victim to child protective services. |
| Abusers might also threaten their victims. This could | | | | 2. Intimidation tactics include scaring the partner or |
| be anything from refusing to give them access to | | | | doing things to lord their power over the partner to |
| money or threatening the use of physical violence in | | | | keep them in a constant state of worry about the |
| order to gain complete control over the victim. | | | | consequences of every little thing they do. |
| Sadly, society doesn't let as much credence to | | | | 3. Blaming the victim for everything—even the |
| emotional abuse as it does to physical abuse. Without | | | | abuser's own behavior. |
| the physical evidence of black and blue bruises, | | | | 4. Dominating the victim with constant assertions of |
| swollen cheeks, and broken bones, emotional abuse is | | | | authority. |
| thought by many to have no real consequences. | | | | 5. Isolating the victim from friends and family and |
| That couldn't be further from the truth, however. It | | | | routinely humiliating the victim in front of others. |
| can take years and years of counseling to overcome | | | | |