Nonverbal Violence in Law

Abstract

Psychological violence causes short- and long-term negative consequences, such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychological abuse is more strongly associated with psychological symptoms and only sometimes with physical consequences. Psychological violence takes many forms (verbal and nonverbal) but the aim is to cause direct infliction of mental harm or limit to the victim’s well-being. Physical and psychological violence very often appear on the same time, but they may affect victims differently. In the opinion of many experts, psychological consequences of domestic violence may be due rather to psychological abuse and not to physical violence. In the view of many buttered women psychological abuse is as harmful or even worse than physical abuse. Women experiencing psychological abuse indicate that most of them suffer very often not only from being verbally insulted but first of all from being degraded and controlled.