Domestic violence does not always manifest as physical abuse. Emotional and psychological abuse is just as extreme as physical or even worse. Lack of physical violence does not mean the abuser is any less dangerous to the victim, nor it mean the victim is any less trapped by the abuse.
Abuse culture is something most women experience. But do not get enough support and are rarely equipped to suss it out.
Sometimes men find other ways to torment women.
- Do not let you see your family or friends very often or at all.
- Compares you to other women.
- Criticizes your body.
- Continuously tells you, you are not doing enough.
- He says you should be grateful but he doesn’t.
- He makes you believe that you are too broken or damaged to be ever wanted by anyone.
- Makes you feel terrible about things you cannot control.
- Manipulates you to never leave him.
- Isolates you and destroy your self-esteem.
- You need his approval for everything.
- Treats you like his property and not as person.
These are some of many different ways men have, to break women emotionally and psychologically. Wounds of physical violence fade with time, but those of psychological get worse with time and incapticates the person.
We need to acknowledge that this is issue worth discussing and finding a permanent solution. We need to support women standing against violence and help them making a society better place for women to live.
Kashaf Akhtar Khan 