One in five women are victims of consistent verbal abuse, study finds

New research by domestic violence charity NO MORE reveals that verbal abuse is widespread and has a lasting impact on victims, Saman Javed reports

If you feel like you no longer have choices, please speak to others you feel safe around, survivor says (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

It has been eight years since Rebecca Peters*, was granted a restraining order against her ex-partner. She had been subjected to extreme verbal threats for months, when one day it escalated to violence, and he broke her porch window. “After giving statements to the police, and listening to their careful questioning, I was finally able to see that what I was experiencing was abuse,” she says.

Since then, the road to recovery has been a long process with many ups and downs. “Over the course of time, I have learned to understand what abuse is, and how better to look out for it,” she says. “If you feel like you’re being controlled or manipulated, like you no longer have choices, or if you would be afraid to voice your opinion to your partner, please speak to others you feel safe around. As that simply isn’t right.”

Unfortunately, Peters’ experience is not rare. New research from domestic violence charity NO MORE and Avon has found that one in five women face “consistent” verbal abuse from their partners, while more than a third (36 per cent) have insecurities about their self-worth as a result.