Family Verbal Abuse Vs. Physical Abuse

Recently, the police were called to a house in Houston due to a domestic argument. The argument occurred between a husband and a wife, and worried neighbors called the police. When the authorities got to the house, the husband answered the door and claimed that there were no problems. The wife was nowhere in site.

Upon entering the house, the police saw a young wife and her child in another room. When they questioned the wife, she claimed everything was fine but the police could see bruises on her face. Suspecting that the husband had physically abused his wife, the police continued questioning the wife and then arrested the husband.

This type of scenario occurs on a daily basis across the country. Many times, verbal abuse merges into physical abuse over time and police are summoned to the problem couple’s place of residence on a regular basis until something really bad occurs.

There is a way to stop these types of problems. First, the problem has to be recognized and second, the individual being abused has to be able to take himself out of the situation. A Houston family attorney can help individuals end certain types of relationships in order to protect themselves from being verbally or physically abused.

Identifying Verbal Abuse

Verbal abuse is harder to pinpoint than physical abuse as the verbiage used from one verbal abuser to another may vary. Some forms of verbal abuse may be exhibited in the following ways:

• Name calling
• Threats
• Laying blame
• Criticizing
• Yelling
• Swearing
• Sarcasm
• Mocking
• Lack of empathy or sympathy for personal feelings

While some of these forms may not be intended to be abusive, if the language makes you feel fearful or sad, it may be in your best interests to contact a Houston family lawyer in order to figure out the right steps to take in order to take you out of an abusive situation.

Houston family lawyers are the first steps to making sure that a verbally abusive situation does not escalate to the point of physical abuse. If the situation has already escalated to that point, contact a Houston family attorney immediately to ensure the safety of you and your children.

If you have a family law matter, contact Houston family lawyer John K. Grubb at his office in Houston, Texas. He serves all communities throughout Houston, Texas, including Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, and Brazoria counties.