Recognizing the nonphysical forms of domestic abuse

A common misconception about domestic violence is that it only comes in physical forms. In reality, this type of abuse manifests in different other ways, including verbal, emotional and psychological forms. Some types are more subtle than others, making them more challenging to detect. Nonetheless, spotting them is not impossible if you know the signs.

Common subtle abuses

While they are not as overt as physical violence, it is possible to recognize the nonphysical forms of domestic abuse, which include the following:

• Emotional abuse: This can include name-calling, constant criticism, belittling one’s abilities, insults and undermining someone’s self-esteem. The abuser may also use guilt or shame to control their partner.
• Psychological abuse: This involves causing fear by intimidation, threatening physical harm to oneself, the partner or anyone in the household, destruction of property, harming pets and forcing isolation from family, friends or work.
• Financial abuse: This form of abuse occurs when the abuser takes unreasonable control of all the finances, withholds money or credit cards, keeps their partner from working or steals their partner’s earnings.

Other forms of abuse can be in the seemingly mundane practices, such as the abuser checking their partner’s personal accounts without permission or dictating what their partner should and should not wear.

You do not have to face this battle alone

While domestic abuse can be a challenging battle to face, it is crucial to hold abusers accountable for their actions to ensure your and your family’s protection now and in the future. Having a knowledgeable legal representative review your domestic violence case may help you gauge your chances and gain confidence in pursuing legal action against your abuser.