We’ve all faced unfair and hurtful comments from others. But when do those comments cross the line into abuse?
Unfortunately, some people face verbal abuse on a daily basis. Oftentimes, these people don’t even realize that what they’re facing is, actually, abuse.
Of course, you can’t protect yourself from a bad situation if you don’t fully understand your rights. That’s why we’ve created this helpful post that will answer every question, including, “Can you go to jail for verbal abuse?”
If you believe that you are the victim of verbal abuse, you may wonder what your options are. Keep reading to learn more about your rights and the next best steps. And if you have any specific questions for us, please fill out our convenient form to schedule a free case evaluation with the team at Morgan & Morgan.
What Is Assault?
Verbal abuse is defined as a type of emotional abuse. Any time a person uses their words to ridicule, dominate, manipulate, or degrade you, you are experiencing verbal abuse. And that behavior should not be tolerated.
However, verbal abuse is not always illegal. Can you go to jail for verbal abuse? There may not be legal recourse for verbal abuse unless it qualifies as assault. So let’s dive into the legal definition of assault as we move forward.
Assault is an act that can lead to both a criminal and a civil case. At its roots, assault is any intentional act that puts another person in immediate danger or at least puts them at a reasonable apprehension of danger. In other words, if the victim is aware that they may be subjected to harm because of the assaulter, the situation qualifies as assault.
Assault and battery are separate terms that are often confused with one another. The difference is that assault doesn’t always cause physical harm but may leave the victim in fear of physical harm. Essentially, the victim must believe that he or she is in danger of suffering an injury at the hands of the assaulter.