Not all abuse is physical. Emotional abuse undermines the victim's self-esteem, breaks the spirit, and knocks any support out from under the victim. It is the systematic destruction of a victim's emotional, psychological, social and economic well-being.
Emotional abuse is more pervasive than physical abuse and is much harder to identify.
Many victims of emotional abuse may not look for help because they don't identify what they are going through as abuse. The most important thing to remember is that the primary purpose of abuse, in whatever form it might take, is to gain and maintain power and control over someone else. If you think you are being emotionally abused, you probably are. Freedom House can help.