Child emotional abuse: Words – and silence – can hurt too

The word “violence” conjures up images of things like beatings, bruises and spilled blood. But when it comes to their children’s upbringing, parents can be violent without laying a hand on them. This is psychological violence, also called psychological or emotional abuse. It includes threats of physical abuse, such as: “If you don’t go to bed immediately, you’ll get a lashing you won’t forget!” or saying humiliating things like: “You’ll never amount to anything!” Child emotional abuse isn’t only verbal though. Ignoring or giving a child the silent treatment, punishing a child with home confine…

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