Is emotional abuse illegal?

GymAnJuice

there's always hope, and remember what your going through now, however hard is temporary (that's what i always tell myself to build me up). i have had to cut off all ties from a very verbally abusive father, i spent the first two years breathing a sigh of relief, just to let you know it will get better x personally, i have been to counselling & am waiting for "toxic parents: overcoming their hurtful legacy and reclaiming your life" book to arrive from amazon. best of luck :flowerforyou:

Sloth_TurtleGirl

The person who told you to move out is right. I had a pretty nasty situation when I was younger and that is exactly what I did. If you are working three jobs, you should be able to pay rent somewhere. Look at aid programs that will help you. Finding out whether what they are doing is legal or illegal isn't going to help you. So, what if it is illegal? Are you going to sue to make love you? You live in their house. Do you think that will make the situation better? I'm just trying to understand what you want the end result to be and I'm just going by what I've read on this thread. I'm under the impression based on earlier posts that this is about your parents, not a boyfriend.

As someone who had endured a lot of discrimination, bullying, and other crap, I will say that the only person who can really save you is yourself. Suing someone for not liking your or calling your names does not cause them to suddenly care about you. It makes things worse. Getting out of the situation, standing on your own, and walking away will make the situation better.

otrlynn

Beauty, I'm in the US and don't know anything about your social welfare system. I suspect though that if you contact an organization for abused women, they may have a list of resources that could be helpful to you, even if what you are enduring from your parents doesn't meet your country's legal definition of abuse.

Re getting out of the house. Work your butt off to get out of there. Look in newspapers, online sites like craigslist etc. to find a room to rent. Go to the campus of the school you are attending and look on campus buttetin boards for ads for places to rent. Where there are students, there are generally rooms to rent in the surrounding neighborhood.

Lastly, if you really can't swing it financially, just spend as little time at home as possible (it sounds like you will be busy with work and classes) and try to let the comments roll off your back. Your parents don't define who you are--you do. Look up "illegitimi non carborundum" ...

GymAnJuice

i forgot to say, when i was young enough and living with my parents, i was told over and over again i wouldn't be able to stand on my own two feet & how worthless i was & believed it, i didn't move out till i was 22. worse decision ever, get out and get out of that situation asp, nothing is worse than living like that

Sloth_TurtleGirl

Mocha,
That sounds like an interesting book. I might look that up! I haven't had a conversation with my father since 2007. To be honest, my life has been more peaceful and more fulfilling - except for the fact there are a few who'd like to reunite us for the sake of my grandmother. However, as much as I love my grandmother, the reality is that I will not cross the bridge again with my father. It has been burned too many times. My children do not know him. I wanted to raise them surrounded by people who they would know loved them no matter what, whose love they didn't have to earn.

gsager

but you can get away from them. i know from your other post you mentioned you are strapped financially, however, you can go to a shelter,

her parents supposedly dont support her healthy food choices and because they eat Mcdonalds and called her rude for not eating the food they bought for her, so she claims emotional abuse.

This would not qualify as emotional abuse.

advising her to go live in a shelter? come on. I would suggest you visit a shelter and see if you think this would be an easier way to live.

Calling me a mistake, a worthless piece of ****, I have no brain cells, a slut, I don't deserve happiness, a stupid *****, telling me I should go kill myself and blaming my brother stabbing me on me isn't emotional abuse?
Oh, tell me what is then.

You just need to leave. It isn't against the law. You have to go on with your life and not get stuck in wanting to punish them. It's a cycle. Get away and don't look back.

Lauran845

The person who said move out is correct. I know it is hard to hear that, but it is true and even harder to hear, I am sure, is that if going to school is what stops you from working to be able to afford to move, then you need to cut your hours back at school and spend an extra two or three semesters working on your degree. I went to college for five years because I made the choice to pay a mortgage at 19, which involved cutting school back to part-time so I could work full-time with overtime to pay the bills. I work for the judicial system in America and in my State emotional abuse can warrant you a protective order, but nothing more. The protective order states "No Contact, Stay 100 yards away and Do not threaten, molest or attack". Since it isn't your house, the burden on leaving is up to you.

I wish you well and I hope you can resolve the rift in your family, or learn to live independent of them. It is a terrible situation when you are constantly being put down, though in life you have two options....you can be a victim or a survivor...you make the choice.

Rachlmale

I hope it isn't...

AJ_Pete

It would impossible to outlaw because A) it defines differently from person-to-person, it's tough to prove, and C) it's too prevalent to control.

I'd be all for it, but it's just not feasible for the US.

baddbob

Sadly, no.

It's impossible to prove and impossible to see the injuries and the legal system is already clogged beyond breaking point.

The only thing an emotionally abused person can do is get away from the abuser. (hopefully this is possible)

Been there, done that. I moved out of home at 17 due to unrelenting emotional bullying - I'm 35 now and I've never really recovered.

What if you can;t get away from them though... :L

If you an adult without disabilities (mental or physical), you can get away. There are always options. If you remain in a situation like that, you are bringing it on yourself. There are plenty of agencies, churches, etc. who will provide assistance. If you are referring to the situation with your parents, it is entirely up to you.

MaraDiaz

Call up Homeland Security, they love calling anything they don't like 'terrorism', see if they'll hook you up.

Meanwhile, get away from toxic people?