Importance of early detection

The difficulty of identifying the subtle

Early detection of psychological violence is one of the greatest challenges, both for the victims and their environment.

The main barrier is that the profile of the aggressor often does not fit the stereotypical image of a violent or aggressive person.

On the contrary, they are usually educated, socially charming and, sometimes, of a high economic or professional level.

This "mask" of outward normality contrasts with the cruelty they exercise in private, which makes it extremely difficult for third parties to believe the victim's story or for the victim herself to identify that she is being abused.

The violence is so subtle and tenuous that the victim enters a state of confusion and apathy, unable to put a name to her discomfort.

The time factor and progressive erosion

To be considered psychological abuse, the behavior must be sustained over time.

A punctual disdain or an offensive word in a moment of tension does not necessarily constitute mistreatment; it is the repetition and constant siege that defines aggression.

It is this ongoing nature that causes the psychological injury, wearing the victim down to the point of rendering her unable to defend herself.

Many women come to therapy feeling bad, but without understanding what is happening to them, immersed in a "non-perception" of the violence.

This invisibility means that with each passing day, the person is more and more annulled and less predisposed to act against the situation she is suffering.

Intuition and the body as a warning system

In the absence of physical evidence, the validation of one's intuition becomes the most effective preventive tool.

The body registers the threat long before the conscious mind can process it rationally.

If a person feels exhausted, sad, anxious, or experiences a state of constant hypervigilance after interacting with a partner, he or she is likely experiencing subtle violence, even if he or she cannot pinpoint a specific aggressive event.

Identifying these physical and emotional symptoms-such as easy crying, fatigue, or an inability to enjoy life-is crucial, as emotional abuse precedes and sets the stage for other forms of violence by disabling the victim's defenses.

Summary

The greatest challenge in detection is the "mask of normalcy" of the perpetrator, who is often socially charming, making it difficult for the environment to believe the victim's account of abuse.

Violence is characterized by its continuity over time and not by isolated events; this constant repetition wears down the victim, plunging her into a state of confusion, apathy and "non-perception".

In the absence of physical evidence, the validation of intuition and bodily symptoms (fatigue, hypervigilance, sadness) is crucial as an early warning system to identify subtle abuse.