5 types of abuse in relationships

Abuse isn't just physical, it can occur in several different forms. 5 types of abuse that occur in relationships - if you are a victim, you should seek help.

1. Emotional Abuse

This occurs when a husband or wife degrades, humiliates or manipulates his or her spouse using words or other emotional and psychological tactics.

For example, a husband who abuses his wife emotionally may criticize her actions or call her ugly names. They do this with the intention of making their spouse feel inadequate. In extreme cases, abusers may threaten to hurt themselves or those around them. The aim of this kind of abuse is to make their victim feel worthless and completely dependent on the relationship.

2. Physical Abuse

This can be classified as hitting, slapping, punching, kicking, choking and so on. These acts are meant to threaten or hurt the victim in order to keep him or her under their control. Physical abuse is usually done in an attempt at establishing control in the relationship.

3. Sexual Abuse

Physical abuse can also happen in the form of sexual abuse where victims are forced into having sex or performing sexual acts against their will. This is usually done through physical force or through drugging. In some cases, sexual abuse is done through psychological manipulation or coercion.

4. Financial Abuse

The point of most types of abuse is to gain total control over the victim, money is often be used to achieve these goals. Abusers can abuse their spouses financially by rigidly controlling their financial activities, sabotaging their jobs, making career-related decisions for them and stealing money from them.

5. Mental Abuse

Probably the most damaging types of abuse, mental abuse gets under your skin. It’s when the abuser plays mind games with the victim in order to get into their head, with attempts at making you believe that they’re to blame for the failing relationship. That the abuse you are facing stems from your own actions; you made them do it.

Written by

Karen Mira

abuseabusive spouse