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Ec04-469 When Words Are Used As Weapons: The Signs Of Verbal Abuse (Part 2 Of A Four Part Series), Kathy Bosch

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Verbal abuse finally is being recognized as a form of domestic violence and as the behavior that usually precedes physical violence. There has been little support for individuals who are verbally abused because it's not as readily visible as a black eye or bruise. However, many individuals, particularly women, suffer with verbal assaults from their partners.

Ec04-471 When Words Are Used As Weapons: Youth Can Prevent Verbal Abuse (For Use With Teen Youth) (Part 4 Of A Four Part Series), Kathy Bosch

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Most physical abuse or battering begins with some kind of verbal abuse. Physical abuse is easy to identify because you can see a black eye or bruise. But verbal abuse is hard to see and define. Laws usually don't define verbal abuse or require it to be reported. Verbal abuse might be misinterpreted as a bad habit, a bad temper, or "just the way the person talks."

Verbal abuse can be a weapon used by either girls or boys, men or women. However, reports show that more women are abused by men, than men by women. Verbal abuse sometimes is …

Ec04-470 When Words Are Used As Weapons: What Can I Do? (Part 3 Of A Four Part Series), Kathy Bosch

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

In the midst of conflict, it's sometimes difficult to determine if the argument is hostile or actually a misunderstanding. However, according to Elaine Johannes, Kansas State University Extension family and community mental health specialist, if the conflict intentionally humiliates, degrades, belittles or antagonizes, there is no confusion whether or not the conflict comes from conversational style differences; it's definitely abuse.

One theory that examines the lack of understanding between women and men is attributed to gender differences in the ways they speak. Problems may exist when couples ignore these differences in conversational styles. The differences are neither good or bad, …

Ec04-468 When Words Are Used As Weapons: Verbal Abuse (Part 1 Of A Four Part Series), Kathy Bosch

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me." Do you remember hearing or saying this when you were a child? How much wiser people become as they mature into adulthood and realize that words can indeed be weapons; words can hurt very much. Why would someone who supposedly loves another say things to make a partner feel sick inside, betrayed and confused? Those who are verbally abused often think they may have caused the abuse or are at fault. Some even believe the terrible things said about them may be true. But they're not. The …