Sometimes, you grow angry with your partner, but you always stop yourself from reacting physically. Despite that, you now face a temporary restraining order.
WebMD explores non-physical domestic violence. Build your defense by understanding how your words and actions may lead to your partner feeling threatened by you.
Controlling behavior
Some emotional abuse manifests as controlling or jealous behavior. One example of this is expecting an immediate response to phone calls and text messages, no matter what. Another is demanding a partner’s whereabouts, activities and who the person spends time with. A person may also control who his or her significant other hangs out with or forbid a partner from spending time with specific individuals. Besides being physically controlling, an individual may engage in being financially controlling.
Gaslighting
When a person questions reality because of what his or her romantic partner says, that could become a sign of gaslighting. Examples of this form of emotional abuse include a partner saying an event or occurrence did not happen when it did and blatantly lying about what happened. A person engaging in emotional abuse may shift blame and accuse his or her significant other of bearing responsibility for abusive actions.
Humiliation
When casual, lighthearted teasing crosses the line to humiliation or verbal cut downs, it becomes non-physical violence. Those accused of abuse may embarrass their partner in front of other people, and they may say their partner cannot take a joke when accused of being mean-spirited.
Manipulation
Rather than threatening harm against a partner, someone seen as emotionally abusive may threaten self-harm or suicide to manipulate a significant other. The intention of such manipulations may be to keep the other person from leaving or doing what the manipulator wants.
Your partner’s perspective of your behavior may lead to legal charges. By understanding the reason for that perspective, you may protect your legal rights.
