WHAT IS EMOTIONAL ABUSE?

Emotional abuse occurs when a partner engages in behavior to embarrass, insult, or instill fear in their partner. Emotional abuse is a tactic used to make someone feel weak which leads to the abuser gaining control. Emotional abuse can occur in a variety of relationships such as parental, romantic, friendship, or even professional. 
 
The following are signs that you might be in an emotionally abusive relationship:
Your partner uses coercion and threats:
         ex: threatening to leave
         ex: threatening to hurt themselves
         ex: forcing you to drop charges or engage in illegal activities
Your partner uses intimidation:
         ex: making you feel afraid by choosing violence 
         ex: abusing pets 
         ex: destroying property
Your partner uses emotional abuse:
         ex: making you feel bad about yourself
         ex: name calling
         ex: embarrassing you
         ex: making you feel guilty
Your partner isolates you:
         ex: your partner limits your outside activities
         ex: your partner controls who you talk to, who you see, and what you do
Your partner minimizes, blames, and denies:
         ex: making light of the abuse
         ex: not taking the abuse seriously
         ex: denying that any abuse happens
         ex: blaming you for the abuse happening
Your partner uses your children:
         ex: using children to communicate messages
         ex: threatening to take your children away
Your partner uses male privilege:
         ex: making all the decisions
         ex: defines the men and women’s roles 
         ex: treating you like a servant in the home
Your partner uses economic abuse:
         ex: preventing you from keeping your job or obtaining one
         ex: preventing you from reaching your professional goals
         ex: making you ask for money or giving you an allowance for your basic needs
 
If you are in an emotionally abusive relationship, there are ways to get help. It is important to acknowledge that the behavior is not your fault and the abuser most likely won’t change their toxic behaviors.
When you leave an emotionally abusive relationship, it is crucial to accept help and support from your friends, family, and a mental health professional.