In these instances, making an apology is like putting a Band-Aid on a gaping wound. Verbal abuse is a form of emotional violence. Although hurtful words do not leave physical marks on the body, they can leave lasting emotional scars. Hurting someone s feelings is a way of dehumanizing them-treating them as if they were less than human. We have all heard of people who were made fun of early in life and later developed serious problems with low self-esteem.
Verbal abuse causes many negative consequences.
This often occurs because one person feels insignificant or inferior, and hopes to gain a sensation of power by taking away power from someone else. Everyone wants to feel powerful and in control of their lives, but life can sometimes spin out of control. When this happens some people try to make up for this lack of power and control by stealing power from others. There is a different kind of power, one that is positive by nature and cannot be taken away so easily. This is personal power which is based on high self-esteem, or feeling good about oneself.