Is Emotional Abuse as damaging as phy...

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-04-2007
Is Emotional Abuse as damaging as phy...
6
Tue, 09-04-2007 - 3:51am

Is Emotional Abuse as damaging as physical abuse?



  • yes
  • no
  • i don't know
  • don't care
  • it depends on situation
  • Someone who loves you wouldn't abuse you in any way!


You will be able to change your vote.


iVillage Member
Registered: 03-17-2007
Tue, 09-04-2007 - 3:21pm
I think that emotional abuse can be even MORE damaging than physical abuse. The scars stay longer, that's for sure.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-10-2007
Thu, 09-06-2007 - 6:54pm

Emotional abuse can be worse than physical abuse. It's easy for others to understand, sympathize, and want to help someone that is physically abused. You see the bruises. Even if they can be hidden under clothing, there are still signs that others can see. Emotional abuse is hidden, sometimes hidden in layers of other words or behaviors. Often it is difficult for someone emotionally abused to even explain what is going on. A bruise would not be downplayed because the abuser is generally a nice person otherwise. An emotional comment will be written off this way. No one questions the victim about how often have you been hit, yet verbal abuse is easily written off as the victim is too sensitive, took it the wrong way, the abuser was having a bad day etc.

The hardest part of verbal abuse is the feeling that it is your fault (or that the world thinks it is your fault). Sometimes getting hit would be easier.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-16-2007
Fri, 09-07-2007 - 1:15pm
I think emotional abuse is worse because it's not tangible and people use logic to make up excuses for it. I think it's harder to get away from it too.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2007
Sat, 09-08-2007 - 9:51am
As someone who has been the victim of both, I wholeheartedly say that physical abuse is worse. I know a lot of people really WANT to say that emotional abuse is worse because it's something that has only recently been acknowledged as a problem by society, it's indescribable when someone you thought loves you raises a hand to you and hurts you on purpose. The physical abuse is much more REAL.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-22-2005
Sat, 09-08-2007 - 9:36pm

I have read many book/articles that claim that emotional abuse is worse. And I would agree. My therapist even said in her experience her clients who have been emotionally abused suffer greater long term damage to their self-esteem than do those of physical abuse. I'm sure largely due to the reasons already posted. My father used to beat my mother bloody but it's what he did to her emotionally that continued long after the physical abuse stopped that did far more damage.

When you are broken from the inside it's harder to find your way back. It's easier to say no to physical abuse. Often physical and emotional abuse go hand in hand. Having grown up with both my husband never would have gotten away with hitting me. But breaking someone down emotionally can be so subtle you literally don't know what hit you.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2007
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 12:14pm
I think a lot the damage that either brings about in a person as a lot to do with their mindset and what they are willing or unwilling to accept in their life.