Can Abusive Texting Be Considered Domestic Violence?

When people hear the term “domestic violence,” they automatically think of one person physically beating another, and in most cases, it is a male assaulting a woman. However, the reality might be very different from this. Domestic violence can take place in various forms, including texting. 

Abusive texts, that is, texts which may cause psychological, mental, or emotional damage to a person, are considered instances of domestic violence as well. If you have been a victim, you can ask the court for a restraining order for the same. To understand your options better, contact a Boston divorce lawyer today. 

Can texts be considered domestic violence?

Yes. Domestic violence is an umbrella term for various forms of injustice. One form of domestic abuse in Boston that often goes unnoticed and is overlooked is abusive texting. If your ex-spouse sends you texts that make you feel scared, threatened, sad, or anxious, then those texts may be considered domestic violence. 

Sometimes these texts are the last thing people do before inflicting physical harm upon the victim. Therefore, one should never ignore abusive texts or take them lightly. The more you ignore them, the more you might trigger the abuser into harming you. Abusive texts usually include abrasive language, swear words, and threats of violence. 

Examples of domestic violence

Here are some examples of domestic violence through texts that cause emotional and psychological damage to people.

1. Gaslighting. 

Gaslighting is a way of convincing an individual that something happened when it has not happened in actuality. For example, the abuser may lie to you about something and then simply deny the fact that they lied even after getting caught. They do this in such a way that victims start questioning their own sanity. 

2. Body-shaming. 

Body-shaming is pretty much what it sounds like. It involves attacking someone’s body by making negative remarks about it to lower their self-esteem or make them feel bad on purpose. For example, they may tell you that you are too thin or too fat, etc. 

3. Name-calling. 

The sad thing is that name-calling is not considered abuse by many people. They think that it is a natural part of arguing with someone. However, name-calling is a very toxic habit that involves attacking someone’s identity. 

Afterward, when the fight is over or when the abuser is trying to make up for their mistakes, they may tell you that they were only joking or that they did not mean it. It is important that you do not allow such behavior at all and remove them from your life.