Focus on the Family on emotional abuse<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I recently found an entry on emotional abuse on Focus on the Family's website. The article was clearly intended to help the church to identify, target,\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/lovejoyfeminism\/2012\/05\/focus-on-the-family-on-emotional-abuse.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Focus on the Family on emotional abuse\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I recently found an entry on emotional abuse on Focus on the Family's website. 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{"id":945,"date":"2012-05-16T15:00:06","date_gmt":"2012-05-16T19:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/freethoughtblogs.com\/lovejoyfeminism\/?p=945"},"modified":"2012-08-07T22:24:46","modified_gmt":"2012-08-08T02:24:46","slug":"focus-on-the-family-on-emotional-abuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/lovejoyfeminism\/2012\/05\/focus-on-the-family-on-emotional-abuse.html","title":{"rendered":"Focus on the Family on emotional abuse"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

I recently found an entry on emotional abuse<\/a> on Focus on the Family\u2019s website. The article was clearly intended to help the church to identify, target, and reach out to women in emotionally abusive relationships. What\u2019s ironic is how often parents in Focus on the Family\u2019s brand of conservative Christianity, and especially in the even more conservative Christian Patriarchy or Quiverfull movements, employ the exact tactics described here as they attempt to keep their children in the fold.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

What are the characteristics of emotional abuse?<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>Emotional abuse is any nonphysical behavior or attitude that controls, intimidates, subjugates, demeans, punishes or isolates another person by using degradation, humiliation or fear.\u00a0Yelling, screaming, and name-calling are all forms of emotional abuse, as are more subtle tactics such as refusing to be pleased with anything, isolating an individual from family and friends, and invalidating another\u2019s thoughts and feelings.<\/p>\n

Examples of emotionally abusive behaviors include:<\/p>\n

Humiliating and degrading<\/p>\n

Discounting, distorting and negating<\/p>\n

Accusing and blaming<\/p>\n

Isolating<\/p>\n

Withholding affection and emotional support<\/p>\n

Withholding financial resources<\/p>\n

Dismissive, disapproving, or contemptuous looks, comments or behavior<\/p>\n

Threatening harm to an individual\u2019s pets, possessions or person<\/p>\n

The effects of emotional abuse are often debilitating. They include depression, confusion, difficulty concentrating and making decisions, overwhelming feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness and poor physical health.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

Your thoughts?<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"