signs verbal abuse will turn physical in a relationship

Signs Verbal Abuse will Turn Physical

‘Want to know all the signs verbal abuse will turn physical? Here are all the indicators you need to know.

signs verbal abuse will turn physical

There are always signs that verbal abuse will turn physical. Therefore, in this post, you will learn what those signs are so that you can act beforehand.

Once you learn all these indicators, you will be better prepared to defend yourself when a bully raises a hand to you.

This post is all about the signs verbal abuse will turn physical, so that if you’re being verbally bullied, you will be prepared to defend yourself. And if you’re in an abusive relationship, you can start planning your exit strategy now.

Signs Verbal Abuse will Turn Physical

You would be surprised at how quickly and easily a bully (or any abuser, for that matter) can change from letting their mouths do the talking to letting their fists and feet speak for them.

No one should ever tolerate verbal abuse. However, many do put up with it and don’t realize that words can turn into physical blows.

here’s a scenario you’ll probably recognize

Bullying always escalates. Always. For instance, bullies have been verbally abusing you for quite some time. You remember how they began with subtle digs and zingers. Next, you noticed that they progressed to openly screaming at you and cursing you out like a dog.

They called you ugly names and accused you of things you are not guilty of. They probably shouted you down, everything you even looked like you were going to speak.

And now, they are making threats of violence against you. You’ve begun to feel afraid because you’re not sure if they mean it or not. Therefore, you don’t know when the bullying will become physical and what they’ll do to you when it does.

Understand that your bullies are still pushing your boundaries. Little by little, they up the ante to test you and figure out how you’ll react. In other words, they are seeing what you’ll let them get away with.

Therefore, they always start small. And they ever so gradually turn it up in teeny tiny increments. Bullies do this to condition you to take worse abuse. And sometimes, you don’t even know they’re doing it.

So, how do you know when the verbal bullying you suffer is about to become physical? Here’s how:

1. Signs Verbal Abuse will Turn Physical:

they invade your personal space

You can’t mistake this body language. When bullies invade your space, it’s a surefire sign that things are about to get physical. They get a little too close. They’ll follow close behind you as you’re walking down the hallway or street.

They may stand too close to you in the lunch line or while you’re punching the time clock. They may even step in front of you and block you from going any further.

Understand that body language speaks louder than words ever will. The verbal attacks were only a precursor. If nothing else, know this! Anytime a bully gets too close to you, it means they want to strike you.

Therefore, they are making sure that you are within their reach so that they can. Moreover, they are experimenting with you to gauge your response.

If someone gets in your face, your first response should be to knock the living hell out of them.

In this case, offense is the best defense. In other words, don’t even give them a chance to hit you first. Why? Because the first strike just might be the one that maims or kills you.

Therefore, to prevent a possible physical attack, the time to act is now! You must tell them in no uncertain terms to back off. And if they don’t, it’s time to strike first.

Yes! You heard me correctly. I’m not beyond hauling off and punching someone in the nose if they get in my face and refuse to back off.

However, be aware that you may be in a place where punching a bully isn’t suitable. You may be working at your job or studying in class.

In lieu of fighting, I recommend that you look the bully dead in the eye.  And give the hardest glare you can muster. Then tell them in a low, growling voice to knock it off. Keep in mind that your nonverbal communication (your body language) must match what you say.

Keep glaring at them, without blinking, until they avert their eyes. Make sure you’re standing absolutely still and facing them in a power pose. (More on power poses later) The goal here is to put the fear of God in the bully.

2. Signs Verbal Abuse will Turn Physical:

they lay claim to your things and your territory

Bullies may sit at your desk. They may also pick up your belongings or lean on your car. Understand that, by touching your belongings, bullies are laying claim to what is yours. This is another sign of hostility.

This is the time to assert yourself firmly. Tell them to keep their slimy, grimy paws off your stuff! Bear in mind that messing with your belongings or destroying them is also considered to be physical bullying.

However, be forewarned that most bullies will see this as a challenge. And they will dare you to do something about it.

In this case, don’t be afraid to throw up your dukes. It’s your stuff they’re messing with, and they’re doing it to test you and see how far they can push you! So, don’t fail!

But, just as I mentioned earlier, if you use fisticuffs, make sure the time, place, and conditions are as close to right as possible. If not, do what I suggested at the end of the last section.

3. they will begin assaulting you and making it look like an accident

I call this borderline physical abuse.

Bullies will begin their physical assaults through“accidental” shoves, pushes, and bumps. They may do things “accidentally on purpose.”

For instance, they may“accidentally” run or bump into you in the hallway or parking lot. They might “accidentally” trip you or knock you down.

Or they’ll “accidentally” knock things out of your hands. They will say, “Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to (trip, shove, run into you, etc.).

And they’ll say it knowing damn well they did it deliberately. Also, you’ll know it too.

Moreover, they do it, thinking that maybe, just maybe, you won’t notice that it’s escalating. After all, accidents happen all the time. No harm, no foul. Right?

The problem is that if bullies get away with these types of games, they’ll only escalate it until it gets out of control. And once bullying gets out of control, it’s almost impossible to stop or even slow down.

Again, it’s time to throw up those dukes! Remember not to doubt yourself and what you know and feel. And you always know when something is done on purpose. You can sense these kinds of things.

Signs Verbal Abuse will Turn Physical: Like any other form of abuse, Bullying will only get worse if you don’t act.

Understand that bullying, or any form of abuse, always- always gets worse if you let it slide. Because it’s a dark part of human nature to push, push, and push further to see how far one can go.

Again, tune into your body and intuition. In other words, listen to your gut. Why? Because your gut will tell you if what the person did to you was deliberate or an accident.

If your senses tell you they did it on purpose, call it out and ask them to stop it right away. If that doesn’t work and the bully keeps it up, it might be time to throw down. But, whatever you do, put a stop to it because it’ll only get worse if you don’t.

4. They begin threatening physical violence.

This is a surefire sign that verbal bullying is about to escalate to fists. If a bully starts threatening to “kick your butt,” believe them. Take it seriously. And be prepared to defend yourself. Don’t back down and don’t turn your back on them. Why?

Because bullies don’t fight fair, they will attack you from behind the minute you turn your back and walk away.

And if they get in your face, they are violating your personal space. Moreover, it means that they want to get close enough to attack physically. So, don’t hesitate to punch their lights out.

Never doubt what you feel. Trust it!

Many victims of bullying hesitate to act because they don’t trust their instincts. They question their own instincts. “Is he really about to attack me, or is he only trying to scare me?”

The trick is to trust your gut. It picks up on the other person’s energy. If your gut tells you that the person wants to hit you, it is probably right.

Signs Verbal Bullying will Turn Physical:

In conclusion

To defend yourself, you must pay attention and trust your instincts. Look for these signs. And if you see them, you must do whatever it takes to contain the threat. And if that means hitting first, then do it.

With knowledge comes empowerment.

 This post is all about the signs Verbal bullying will Turn PHYSICAL so that you can be ready for when the bully attacks you.

Related posts you’ll enjoy:

1. Verbal Bullying

2. Physical Bullying Information: 5 Must-Know Secrets Bullies Don’t Want You to Know

3.  How to Deal with Physical Bullies

4. Non Verbal Bullying: Hostile Body Language Head to Toe

5. Examples of Non Verbal Bullying

Verbal Bullying

‘Want to know about verbal bullying and the damage it can do? Here are all the details you need to know.

verbal bullying

When bullies carry out a barrage of verbal attacks against you, they attack your character, mental stability, and abilities. Therefore, if you don’t maintain your sense of self and confidence, the bullies will eventually brainwash you and crush your spirit.

Therefore, in this post, you will learn about verbal bullying so that you can protect yourself from it and maintain your self-esteem.

Once you learn all about these crucial details, you will be better able to stand up against this form of bullying and keep your self-respect.

This post is all about verbal bullying so that you can defend yourself against it and stay confident.

Verbal Bullying

Verbal bullying can be done openly through bursts of rage, overt personal attacks, name-calling, and threats of physical violence. Open verbal bullying aims to strike fear in you.

It also seeks to make it clear to you that the bully is controlling you and that you’d better acquiesce, or the bully will hurt you. It also dares you to protest against it or defend yourself. In open bullying, bullies instill terror in bystanders as well by making you the example.

Examples of open verbal bullying

  • “You’re such a moron!”
  • “I’ll kick your butt if you say anything back to me!”
  • “You’re completely hopeless! Can’t you do anything right?”

Bullies who use open verbal bullying are those who know they aren’t going to face accountability. They can also be those who don’t care about facing consequences. These are people who aren’t afraid to go to jail or those who don’t fear suspension or expulsion from school.

Also, many bullies also use subtle verbal bullying. These are people who fear consequences. They don’t want to get caught. Therefore, they will use a more nuanced form of verbal bullying because it is the least detectable.

Verbal Bullying:

Examples of subtle verbal bullying

Bullies use subtle bullying through tiny digs, zingers, offhand comments, and backhanded compliments. Subtle bullying aims to control and dominate you without you realizing it.

In being subtle, bullies may act like they’re sincerely and genuinely concerned about you. They may say,

  • “I’m concerned about you. You need help because you’re always so defensive every time we tell you what you’re doing wrong.”
  • “We’re telling you to help you.”

This type of verbal aggression aims to manipulate you. Again, in most cases, you don’t realize the bullies are using you. However, they will notice that you’re not as happy as before and that you don’t feel as good about yourself as you once did.

You will also sense that something is off.

Why Bullies Use Words to Attack You

They do it to discourage, disrespect, and devalue you. Also, they attack you with words to diminish your confidence and self-esteem.

You may consciously or unconsciously try to change their behavior and personality. You may do whatever it takes to avoid agitating the bullies and protect yourself from future bullying.

However, when you handle it this way, you only allow your bullies to brainwash you into suppressing your authenticity. You might even hide your good nature, talents, and gifts.

Understand that you’ll never know if people are bullying based on what outsiders see and tell you. When the bullying is subtle, it’s vague and almost unnoticeable.

Subtle bullying will go virtually undetectable, not only by you, but especially by others. Over time, bullies will slowly condition you to take the abuse.

Verbal Bullying can be Unpredictable.

This kind of bullying can emerge unexpectedly. You may think he’s doing quite well until suddenly, and out of the blue, bullies blindside you with another barrage of insults.

The sudden onslaught will stun you. It will throw you off-kilter. But that’s what the bullies’ sudden jabs are intended to do.

It won’t matter how intelligent and socially aware you are. With some bullies, you’ll never expect the next attack. Moreover, you’ll never know why they attacked you, nor how to keep them from attacking you again.

Verbal Abuse is designed to soften you up for physical abuse later.

They’ll say there’s nothing wrong, but their body language and the vibes they put out will tell you otherwise. Bullies may say that they don’t care what you say, do, or think. Yet they continuously watch you, eavesdropping on your conversations and invading your privacy.

What’s terrible about verbal bullying is that it always escalates. In the early stages of bullying, bullies disguise their insults and ridicule as jokes and fake concern.

Over time, they will turn it up and dish out their verbal abuse more openly. They do this deliberately to soften you up for worse abuse later.

Even worse, verbal abuse usually escalates to physical assaults and beatings. This is why it’s essential to recognize when someone is verbally abusing you and put a stop to it as soon as possible.

Ways to stand up to verbal bullying, even if it is subtle

If you’re not sure people are verbally bullying you, listen to what your body tells you. Pay attention to your senses and intuition.

If something said to you doesn’t feel right, call it out! I can’t express enough how important this is. Counter with these statements below.

  • “I know what you’re trying to do, and I don’t like it! So, I’d suggest that you back off right now!”
  • “Stop being foolish!”
  • “I don’t want to hear that garbage!”

Or you can scoff or roll your eyes and tell them to shut up. Then walk away like you don’t have time to listen to their boring nonsense. Mockery can be effective in combating bullying.

If you do this in the early stages, chances are that you’ll stop them dead in their tracks. Then, they will go away and find another target.

Signs Verbal Bullying is about to get physical

Anytime bullies increase their name-calling and double their efforts to abuse you verbally, it only means they’re scared of losing control of you.  They’re desperate to maintain their power over you. In other words, they see you as a threat to their perceived status and power.

Therefore, they feel they must double down on the abuse. What they don’t realize is that they only make themselves look desperate and pathetic.

Their blatant repetition and redundancy are so telling. Bystanders and witnesses to their deplorable behavior might not say the quiet part out loud. But trust me, they see it, and they think it.

And rest assured that those who take the bullies’ side already know who the good guy is. But they’ll never admit it because they’re too scared of becoming the next target.

Therefore, bullies will escalate their abuse if their bad behavior hasn’t been checked. Also, they’ll do it if they don’t get the reaction they want from you.

Bullies never stop pushing boundaries.

There are three signs that verbal abuse will turn physical. Moreover, you would be surprised at how quickly and easily a bully can change from letting their mouths do the talking to letting their fists speak for them.

Verbal Bullying:

here’s a scenario you’ll probably recognize

Bullies have been verbally abusing you for quite some time. You remember how they began with subtle digs and zingers. Next, you noticed that they progressed to openly screaming at you and cursing you out like a dog.

Now, they are making threats of violence against you. You begin to feel afraid for your physical safety. Why? Because you’re not sure when the bullying will become physical and what they’ll do to you when it does.

Understand that your bullies are still pushing your boundaries. Little by little, they up the ante to test you and figure out how you’ll react.

They want to see what you’ll let them get away with. So, they always start small. And they ever so gradually turn it up in teeny tiny increments.

So, how do you know when the verbal bullying you suffer is about to become physical?

1. they invade your personal space

When bullies invade your personal space, it’s a surefire sign that things are about to escalate physically. They get a little too close. They’ll follow close behind you as you’re walking down the hallway or street.

Also, they’ll stand too close to you in the lunch line or while you’re punching the time clock. They may even step in front of you and block your path.

Therefore, to prevent a possible physical attack, the time to act is now! You must tell them in no uncertain terms to back off. And if they don’t, it’s time to strike first.

Yes! You heard me correctly. I’m not beyond hauling off and punching someone in the nose if they get in my face and refuse to back off.

However, you may be in a place where punching a bully is suitable. You may be at work or in class.

In lieu of fighting, I recommend that you look the bully dead in the eye with the hardest glare you can muster. Then tell them in a low, growling voice to knock it off.

And keep glaring at them until they avert their eyes. Make sure you’re standing absolutely still and facing them in a power pose. (More on power poses later) The goal here is to instill fear in the bully.

2. Verbal Bullying:

they may touch your things and invade your territory

Bullies may sit at your desk, pick up your belongings, or lean on your car. Understand that, when they touch your belongings, your bullies are laying claim to what is yours.

This is the time to assert yourself firmly. Tell them to keep their slimy, grimy paws off your stuff! Messing with your belongings or destroying them is also considered to be physical bullying.

However, be forewarned that most bullies will see this as a challenge and dare you to take action. In this case, don’t be afraid to throw up your dukes.

It’s your stuff they’re messing with, and they’re doing it to see how far they can push you!

However, as I mentioned earlier, if you use fisticuffs, ensure the time, place, and conditions are appropriate. If not, follow the suggestion at the end of the last section.

3. they will begin “Accidentally” doing things to you.

This is called borderline physical bullying or borderline physical abuse.

Bullies will begin their physical assaults through“accidental” shoves and pushes. They may “accidentally” run into you in the hallway.

Also, they may “accidentally” trip you or knock you down in the stairway. Bullies may even  “accidentally” knock things out of your hands.

They will say, “Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to do that. And they’ll say it knowing damn well they did it deliberately. And you’ll know it too.

Moreover, your bullies will do it, thinking that maybe, just maybe, you won’t notice it’s escalating. After all, accidents happen all the time. No harm, no foul. Right?

The problem is that if bullies get away with these types of games, they’ll only escalate it until it gets out of control. And once bullying gets out of control, it’s almost impossible to stop or even slow down. Remember that they’re violating your personal space.

Again, it’s time to put up your dukes! Remember not to doubt yourself and what you know and feel. And you always know when something is done on purpose. You can sense these kinds of things.

Verbal BULLYING:

In Closing

It always starts subtly. Like any other form of abuse, bullying will only get worse if you don’t act. This bears repeating! It always- always gets worse if you let it slide. Because it’s a dark part of human nature to push, push, and push further to see how far one can go.

Again, tune into your body and intuition. Your gut will always tell you whether what the person did to you was really an accident.

If your senses tell you they did it intentionally, call it out. Tell them to stop immediately when it happens.

If that doesn’t work and the bully continues, it might be time to take a stand. Whatever you do, put a stop to it because it’ll only get worse if you don’t.

This post was all about verbal bullying so that you’ll recognize it when it starts and defend yourself in the early stages to keep the bullying from escalating.

Related posts you’ll enjoy:

1. Examples of Subtle Bullying: 6 Powerful Ways to Read Between the Lines

2. Examples of Non-Verbal Bullying

3. Non-Verbal Bullying: Hostile Body Language, Head to Toe

4. Hostile Body Language: 17 Signs Bullies Want to Get Physical

5.  Threatening Body Language: 21 Hostile Cues to Never Ignore

6. Personal Space Boundaries: What to Do When Bullies Cross Them