Exposing Verbal Abuse

Verbal abuse is an epidemic in our society today. It’s represented as a normal way of living through music and music video’s, soap opera’s, movies and so much more. It occurs everywhere, most commonly in the home with a great deal of effort to hide it from the outside world. The consequences results in having mother’s leave their newborn babies in the restroom of fast food restaurants. Toddlers kicking, spitting and treating their teachers the way their parents treat them. Teenagers are shooting their parents and friends because of inner mental and emotional turmoil. More than 2.5 million children suffer abuse each year. The affects of verbal abuse aren’t noticeable. It’s a subtle and invisible form of abuse that causes a lifetime of destruction.

Destruction comes in many forms. It happens in simply saying that’s stupid or you’re stupid, that’s not what you said, how dumb, you don’t think, a moment of telling someone to shut up, throwing, punching, kicking things, controlling through finances, put-downs, giving orders, angry outburst, sarcasm, threatening someone in the midst of an argument, denial, even withholding, silence or gaining control through not raising your voice is abuse, the list goes on and it is enormous. According to Dr. Grace Ketterman, a Medical Doctor of the Crittenton Center in Kansas City, Missouri, she says that “the inner weaknesses that predispose (influence) people to such a vicious cycle have their taproots in the past.” This suggests that past experiences play a major part in a Verbal Abusers development. Awareness in this area will reveal the abuse throughout generations as well as within allowing the opportunity to change. It is crucial to understand that the breath of a life lives within our words. The power to destroy or build a life is a precious gift.