Verbal abuse is said to be more destructive than physical abuse. Here I am talking about “abuse” and that is what the women are also talking about. To be told constantly told in front of the kids and others that she is a whore, an animal, worthless, useless, tasteless, ugly, should be dead, is to blame for anything the kids do wrong, is raising her kids wrong, and worse is hell, but she is not allowed to react, show her anger, cry (or else there she is snivelling again).

It treats he like a possession or dumping ground for the man’s anger and frustration, and does take away her role as partner, and her dignity as a woman and a wife. Where the family and patriarchal culture will not call a man on his bullying of his wife, the women here are using the law to try to draw attention to this problem, and to change the values. They are being pro-active on a social problem. This is not frivolous, it is progress.