I find it amusing how some people when they are told something about themselves that they don't like, scream emotional/verbal abuse. I find it sad that people have even gone to jail for emotional/verbal abuse. What happened to the first ammendment (freedom of speech)? If we start putting people in jail for what they say then our whole country is in trouble.

The only kinds of abuse are physical (hitting, kicking, scratching, etc) and sexual (touching inappropriately, etc).

-- Anonymous, May 28, 2003

Answers

I'm wondering if this is just a bad, bad joke. But assuming it isn't:

I think it is more up to the abused to determine what is considered abuse. Have you ever seen a person stand over another and yell at them until they're nothing but a ball of weeping flesh who flinches at sudden movements? If you have, I don't understand how you can make that statement. If you haven't, do know that it does happen.

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2003

Dear Ted:

Here's an example of the emotional, verbal abuse, and some physical abuse I went through.

I walk through the door my brother says something like this to me, without provocation,

"you fucking crazy bitch, I'm going to fucking kill you." Then he would usually fly off the handle in some rage over something I never understood. Sometimes he'd hit me, sometimes not, but he usually threatened to kill me when he hit me. usually I did nothing to provoke it. He'd always explain to my mom he had to hit me because I'm supposodly crazy, NOT HIM. She'd excuse his abuse, and when I tried to explain he was wrong she'd say "but you guys broke my clock (or precious item i'd get shoved into in the arguement)."

Her total excusing of the incident, and sometimes telling my brother what to do when he hit me, is emotional, and verbal abuse. Denying your child the right to safety when you are fully aware that they are being abused is emotional abuse.

Also the fact my mother lied to police, to my school teachers, and occasionally made me homeless by saying I stole from her. When I was homeless she new exactly where I was all the time but she'd tell people I ran away, even though I called routinely and asked to come home. Lying to discipline a child harshly by taking away their shelter is emotional abuse. My mother often referred to me in derogatory ways like that "fucking daughter of mine." that's verbal abuse.

Emotionally manipulating someone to feel guilty about things they haven't done and constant put downs can stunt a child's emotional growth, and wellbeing. This is ABUSE! Does it sound like their first ammendment rights would be violated if they went to jail. Whose rights are being violated?

-- Anonymous, June 12, 2003

Dear Ted,

Does a parent who continualy belittles a child and continually tells them to go do the world a favor and go kill themselves and hand them a knife to do it, sound like it may be endangering the life of that child, does that not make it abuse? Imagin if you grew up being treated that way, that every aspect of your life was controled and you were in every respect deamed a discrace. Or imagin being threatend deadly weapon in hand. Just because a physical incident is avoided does that make the situation less horrific for a child? I feel you should hold off judgment on issues you obviously have not endured before slighting the pain of others because you simply can't see it. KC

-- Anonymous, June 15, 2003