The Tip of the Iceberg: A Framework for Identifying Non-Physical Abuse in Couple and Family Relationships

The couple and family therapy literature has lacked clarity concerning different types of non-physical abuse, the relative severity of non-physical abuse and its impact on the target person. Non-physical abuse may be confused with relationship conflict or remain unrecognized by therapists when it occurs in the absence of physical violence. Building on research about the pernicious effects of non-physical abuse, this paper presents a framework to assist family therapists to identify non-physical abuse taking into account the length of time the abuse has been occurring, the intentions of the abuser and the impact on the victim. This framework conceptualizes first degree non-physical abuse as "verbal" abuse; second degree as "emotional" abuse and third degree as "psychological" abuse, the most debilitating form of all.