Research Paper on Emotional Abuse

📌Category: Social Issues, Violence
📌Words: 1029
📌Pages: 4
📌Published: 09 February 2022

“Did you ever get hit?” When people come forward about being emotionally abused by their partner, this is often the first question they will get asked. As with other types of abuse, emotional abuse can be detrimental to someone's health, whether it be their physical health or mental health. At this time, “the effect of emotional abuse is less well understood,” and we must put more research into the psychological effects of emotional abuse (Yoshihama et al. 647). In addition, if we put further research into emotional abuse, it could amplify our knowledge of the repercussions of abuse in romantic relationships (Murphy 39). Emotional abuse has many definitions, but however you define it, the psychological effects of emotional abuse are destructive to someone’s health.

Emotional abuse has no gender. Women and men are emotionally abused every day. Although emotional abuse affects men and women, women are more likely to experience emotional abuse. Studies have shown that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men experience some kind of emotional abuse from a partner in their life (“Emotional Abuse”). Along with emotional abuse not having a gender, it also can affect people of all ages. Focusing on college students specifically, a different study states, “The higher the class rank, the greater the duration in college, the more likely the student was to have reported involvement in an emotionally abusive relationship,” (Abowitz et al. 124). This information can construe that the more relationship experience you have, the more likely you are to recognize emotionally abusive behaviors. 

While understanding that both men and women may get emotionally abused, it is also important to understand that men and women have different interpretations of emotional abuse. Considering these interpretations, “men are more likely to interpret female partner violence as ‘humorous’” (120). Considering this information, this could be one of the reasons men have fewer reported instances of emotional abuse. When it comes to women’s interpretation of emotional abuse, their attachment style likely affects the way they interpret emotional abuse from a partner (Weston 484). In many situations, when a woman talks about being emotionally abused, they are told, “men may do these acts in a loving way, a joking way, or a serious way,” which would affect the way a woman might interpret emotional abuse (486). No matter how someone may interpret emotional abuse, it is still emotional abuse, and it is not justifiable.

Just like interpretations, men and women also have different reactions towards emotional abuse. Since studies have shown that more women get emotionally abused than men, there is more research on women's reactions to emotional abuse. There are inconclusive results on why women stay with emotionally abusive partners; however, there are some mediating factors such as positive behavior and adult romantic attachment (483). Numerous women also have the mindset that any problem they may be having in their relationship can be solved if there is enough love, which is also often applied in emotionally abusive relationships (Abowitz 121). Many people also stay in emotionally abusive relationships because they believe they can bargain with their abuser and change their behavior (“Emotional and Psychological Abuse”). Both of these factors may also develop the mindset of “split-processing,” which is where a person will focus on the positive aspects of their partner and dismiss the negative aspects (Abowitz 121). Additionally, many forms of emotional abuse in relationships are seen as romantic rather than emotionally abusive; some aspects include extreme jealousy, possessiveness, and control (123). Finally, people in emotionally abusive relationships frequently will develop a sense of entrapment- the state of feeling or being trapped. People experiencing this become “addicted” to their partner and are even less likely to recognize an emotionally abusive relationship and will stay with their partner (121). Recognizing emotional abuse can sometimes prove to be difficult; however, when it is recognized, help needs to be offered to the person.

So, why do people emotionally abuse in a relationship? While emotional abuse is in no way justifiable, there are a few reasons why someone may emotionally abuse their partner. A study done on college undergraduates proposed the idea that young men could emotionally abuse their partner to “establish masculinity and maintain control” (119). Men’s reasons for emotional abuse can also come down to gender ideologies, which suggest that emotional abuse is an effective way to control their partner (120). As emotional abuse among relationships grows, more people are perceiving this abuse as a “normal part of gendered romantic relationships,” (123). Considering this, there needs to be much more research put into emotional abuse, and more options for help. The more people that get emotionally abused, whether it's a man or woman, the more people will believe this behavior is “normal,” and it will slowly begin to become more common and less recognizable. 

Now, knowing more about emotional abuse, there are many severe short-term and long-term effects that can come from emotionally abusive relationships (“Emotional and Psychological Abuse”). The most significant proof of this comes from a study on women in Japan. In comparison to people who don’t experience intimate partner violence, those who experience emotional abuse only are 1.49 times higher to report a decline in overall health (Yoshihama et al. 650). One study showed that 70% of formerly abused women disclosed that the emotional abuse they experienced had more intense negative effects than the physical abuse they endured (Murphy 39). Many studies on emotional abuse have also concluded that emotional abuse alone can impact a person's general functioning, self-esteem, and mental health (Weston 484). An abuser breaking down their partner's self-esteem, self-worth, and damaging their mental health makes it so their partner develops a “psychological dependency” on them, which in turn, could make it easier to emotionally abuse them in the future (“Emotional and Psychological Abuse”). Studies have also shown that the “negative effects of emotional abuse linger long after the relationship has ended,” some of these effects being long-term anxiety or depression (Abowitz 130). Overall, there is proliferating evidence from multiple studies that shows emotional abuse is often more harmful than physical violence.

Many people are emotionally abused every day, and the psychological effects that emotional abuse causes are detrimental to a person's health. No matter someone’s gender or age, emotional abuse can cause many short-term and long-term psychological effects. Besides the terrible psychological effects of emotional abuse, it is also damaging to a person’s overall health. There are many reasons someone may emotionally abuse their partner, but, no matter the reason, emotional abuse is never excusable. In the end, there needs to be more research into further understanding the effects of emotional abuse. Continuing research would be beneficial, and would open doors of opportunity to help those who are being or previously have been emotionally abused.

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