But observing also implies interpreting those facts, and this is the difficult part for some abuse victims.

You may second-guess your observations because the abuser consistently implants the idea in your mind that you cannot believe your own thoughts.

(See: Why Do Perpetrators of Domestic Violence Hurt People?

) If you define verbal abuse as name-calling delivered through speech alone, then you won't recognize it when it happens to you.

Symptoms live inside of you, so others may or may not notice them.

She didn't think her finger was broken because she could still bend it.

It had been a week since her dad shoved her into the wall, but her finger still hurt a lot.

Physical abuse is often the most easily recognized form of abuse.

Physical abuse can be any kind of hitting, shaking, burning, pinching, biting, choking, throwing, beating, and other actions that cause physical injury, leave marks, or cause pain.