There are many different types of abuse in a relationship and none of them are good for you. They can destroy your self-esteem, make you feel isolated from your family and friends and affect your mental health
It is imperative that you recognize the types of abuse in your relationship and know the best approach to dealing with it. In this post, I’ll discuss some types of abuse in a relationship, show some examples of them and suggest ways to protect yourself from harm.
Let’s Dive In.
7 Types Of Abuse In A Relationship: Physical Abuse:
Physical abuse, as the name implies, is a physical type of violence that involves restraining, hitting and inflicting glaring bodily harm and psychological trauma on the victims.
It effects people all ages, backgrounds and genders.
Even after the bruises heal, the emotional scars can last a long time. We need better support systems, awareness, and advocacy to help survivors and stop the cycle of violence. It’s important to understand how physical and emotional well-being are connected to help survivors heal.
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), after investigation, stated that 1 in 9 men and 1 in 4 women have endured serious physical violence in there relationships. The alarming statistics has shown the prevalent nature of this issue.
The worst thing about the physical abuse is that even after the bruises of this insidious act are gone, the emotional scars don’t go away easily. There is a need to have good support systems, create awareness, and advocate for the victim.
It is also important to have knowledge of how emotional and physical well being are connected when you want to help the survivors heal from this inferno.
Main Causes Of Physical Abuse.
There are so many things that can make a partner resolve to abuse. Though none of these reasons are cogent enough to make one abusive, they can cause abuse in a relationship.
- Anger and Stress: Poorly managed anger and a high level of stress can make someone resort to physical violence as a way to express their emotions. This can be detrimental to both people and those around them, leading to legal ratification and physical harm.
- Abuse of substances: This is another cause of physical abuse. Any form of substance abuse, whether excessive alcoholic consumption or drug intake, is a great risk to marriages. Using them can make them unable to think normally, make them see things differently, and make them more likely to act aggressively. This usually causes a big problem in the relationship, and the people around it.
- Learned Behavior: Abuse can also be a learned behavior. It may be learned within families, especially where patterns of abuse have been perpetuated across generations. This cycle of violence may involve different forms of abuse, like emotional, physical, and psychological, which have become a pattern in a family. Without awareness or intervention, these behaviors will continue to reproduce, impacting generations to come.
- Mental Health Issues: This is another thing that can make a partner resolve to abuse. Mental health issues can come as personality disorder, unresolved trauma, etc. It is also characterized by unhealthy pattern of thinking and behavior, etc, and they require specialized treatment.
Types Of Abuse In A Relationship. Emotional Abuse:
Emotional abuse in a relationship is a type of behavior by a partner to undermine the other partner’s self worth self esteem and autonomy. This usually leaves lasting psychological scars on the abused spouse.
According to the Center For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 7 of men has been emotionally abused, and 1 in 4 women has complained of such abuse too. Emotional abuse can manifest through manipulation, constant criticism, isolation, gaslighting and withholding affection.
Emotional Abuse is usually powered by control and power dynamics, and it can cause unresolved trauma, learned behavior, insecurity or unresolved trauma. A good example of this is when a partner constantly questions the spouses decisions or belittles their achievements. This will lead to dependence and self-doubt
Other reasons a spouse can resolve to emotional abuse are unresolved personal issues, a lack of good communication skills and a desire to be in control. It is important to deal with such behavior with empathy or see professional marriage counselor for help.
Types Of Abuse In A Relationship; Sexual Abuse:
Sexual abuse in marriage is a type of violation of the autonomy and trust of a spouse. It is all about a type of behavior, from overt acts like coerced sex and rape to manipulation and subtle forms like sexual humiliation.
If your spouse is also withholding sex as a tool to punish you or a way to control you,. This type of abuse erodes someone’s self-esteem and can also lead to physical and emotional consequences in the future.
Sexual abuse in marriage stems from many factors, including unresolved trauma, lack of understanding of consent and power dynamics.
It is important to note that such behavior is a violation of boundaries and trust and never justified. Seeing a professional can be the best step you can take to solve the issues
Types Of Abuse In A Relationship: Financial Abuse:
This is the type of domestic abuse where a spouse uses controlling behavior aimed at restricting the financial autonomy of the other spouse.
Financial abuse can manifest in many ways, including coercing the partner to be financially dependent and limiting access to fund, etc. It may also include sabotaging employment opportunities, withholding money needed for basic necessities.
Victims of this type of abuse often go through a lot of psychological stress, feel trapped, or feel powerless because of their economic stress. To address financial abuse, you need to know the signs, become financially independent, or seek support from professionals.
You can read my post of financial abuse to learn better on what to do.
Types Of Abuse In A Relationship: Verbal Abuse:
Verbal abuse I all about any writing or spoken word that is intended to manipulate, inflict harm, or control the other partner. It includes threats, gaslighting, yelling, insults, and name-calling.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline says “verbal abuse can cause significant psychological and emotional damage and often lead to low self-esteem, and depression.
Did you know that domestic violence affects both men and women? It’s true! According to the American Psychological Association’s recent survey results, this issue is more prevalent than we might think.
According to Angelou Maya, “words are things, I’m convinced. You must be careful about the words you use or the words you allow to be used in your house.
Why Some Partner’s Resolve To Verbal Abuse.
So many things can make a spouse choose verbal abuse, although no reason is cogent enough to warrant it. In some cases, it can be because of underlying anger, frustration, or lack of control.
It can also be because they witnessed verbal abuse in their upbringing, or past experiences of trauma. It could also be a learned behavior pattern, especially when the spouse doesn’t have good communication skills and so resorts to verbal aggression.
It is important to know that irrespective of the reasons, verbal abuse is not acceptable and can have severe implications on the victims emotional mental and physical well being.
Types Of Abuse In A Relationship: Spiritual Abuse
Another important abuse in my list of types of abuse in a relationship is spiritual abuse. This is when a spouse manipulates and controls religious beliefs or practices. This can take various forms, like imposing strong religious regulations or justifying abusive behavior through religious teachings.
Partner who are victims of this may feel trapped in their faith and unable to challenge their partner due to their religious authority.
The effect of spiritual abuse can be enormous and it can lead to loss of self worth, emotional trauma, etc. Recognizing and taking care of spiritual abuse is important for the success of your relationship.
Types Of Abuse In A Relationship: Digital Abuse:
This is the type of abuse that resulted due to the rise of technology. It has emerged as a big concern in intimate relationships. It entails various forms of manipulation and control that happen through electronic means.
For example, when a partner constantly monitors their partner’s online interactions or incessantly spying via electronic devices or social media platforms,. This act not only violates someone’s boundaries, but also affects autonomy and trust in a relationship.
To address digital abuse, you have to heighten awareness, improve your communication skills, and establish a clear boundary. This will safeguard you from it’s detrimental effects on your psychological and emotional well being.
Type Of Relationship Abuse: Discriminatory Abuse:
Discriminatory abuse is a serious issue that can manifest in so many forms. Psychological abuse can come from mocking your gender on social platforms. The physical abuse may be denying you access to important aid. All these are to inflict emotional harm on you.
The worst of it all is when they misuse your social aid or resources just for their own gain. Such action not only violates your trust but also kills your self worth and dignity. Finding this out on time and addressing it is important, because everyone deserves safety and respect in a relationship.sss
In Conclusion:
Quick knowledge and addressing the different types of abuse in a relationship are important for maintaining physical and emotional well being. The 8 types of abuse in a relationship mentioned here have severe consequences for the marriage and the people involved.
As you take steps to seek support, create awareness, and build boundaries, you have taken bold steps towards a safer and healthier relationship for both of you.