Domestic violence is a term that encompasses physical abuse and other types of abuse. In many cases, there is more than one type of abuse present in a case. It is imperative for defendants to understand how emotional abuse might come into the picture when they are facing a domestic violence case.
Emotional abuse won’t leave physical marks on a person, so it might be harder to prove than physical abuse. Because emotional abuse and physical abuse go hand in hand, courts will often consider both types in these cases.
In the most basic terms, emotional abuse is anything that makes the victim feel lowly. This could be yelling, name calling, swearing, threatening, excluding or humiliating the victim. In all of these cases, the victim is likely going to suffer negative emotional impacts of the abuse. Their self-esteem will probably be affected.
A victim who is suffering from emotional abuse might be isolated. The abuser might try to keep the victim away from family members or friends. When they are allowed to have contact with people, the abuser will usually be right there to monitor what is being said.
When emotional abuse turns to threats, there is an added element. The threat of violence is something that can be considered in physical abuse cases. This premeditation is something that could work against you if you are facing criminal charges. It might even have an impact on child custody cases and those having to do with orders of protection. If you are facing this type of charge, make sure that you think carefully about what is going on so that you can determine how you will answer to the accusations.
Source: Healthy Place, “EMOTIONAL ABUSE: DEFINITIONS, SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, EXAMPLES,” accessed Dec. 22, 2017