Thoughts of Abuse Quotes in English With Images
Abuse quotes in English serve as profound reflections on the multifaceted nature of trauma experienced by individuals subjected to various forms of abuse. These powerful expressions encapsulate the deep emotional and psychological pain that often accompanies such experiences, illustrating that the aftermath of abuse is not solely characterized by visible injuries but also by enduring scars that can persist long after any physical wounds have healed. The impact of abuse extends beyond the immediate effects, permeating the psyche and shaping the lives of survivors in ways that are often hidden from the outside world.
Here are some insightful quotes on abuse from various authors, each with a detailed explanation and example:
1. “The scars you can't see are the hardest to heal.” – Astrid Alauda
Meaning: Emotional and psychological abuse leaves invisible scars that are often harder to recover from than physical ones. These scars can impact one’s self-esteem, trust, and mental well-being for a long time.
Example: A child who grows up in an emotionally abusive household may carry feelings of unworthiness into adulthood, even if they are now in a safe and loving environment.
2. “The only way to win with a toxic person is not to play.” – Unknown
Meaning: When dealing with someone manipulative or abusive, engaging with them often leads to more harm. The best option may be to detach and remove oneself from the situation, rather than trying to fight back or prove a point.
Example: In a workplace with a toxic manager, an employee might try repeatedly to reason with or change their behavior but ultimately realizes that leaving for a healthier environment is the best option.
3. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Meaning: While abusers try to undermine others, your self-worth is ultimately yours to define. Rejecting someone else’s attempts to belittle you is a powerful act of self-preservation.
Example: If a partner tries to bring down your confidence by criticizing your appearance or intelligence, refusing to accept their words can help you maintain self-worth despite their abuse.
4. “The victim who is able to articulate the situation of the victim has ceased to be a victim: he or she has become a threat.” – James Baldwin
Meaning: Speaking out about abuse transforms a person from a passive recipient of harm into an active agent against it. Sharing one's story can challenge abusers and empower others facing similar issues.
Example: A survivor of domestic violence who writes a book about their experiences not only heals themselves but also becomes a voice for others, potentially threatening societal tolerance of such abuse.
5. “Trauma creates change you don’t choose. Healing is about creating change you do choose.” – Michelle Rosenthal
Meaning: Trauma forces unwanted changes in a person's life. Healing is a way of reclaiming control, deciding on positive steps forward, and transforming in a chosen direction rather than one imposed by pain.
Example: A person recovering from abuse might take up painting or join a support group, channeling their healing process in a way that helps them grow, rather than letting the trauma define them.
6. “What hurts the victim most is not the cruelty of the oppressor, but the silence of the bystander.” – Elie Wiesel
Meaning: Remaining silent in the face of abuse enables it to continue. Bystanders who don't intervene or speak out indirectly support the abuser by allowing the abuse to happen unchecked.
Example: In a workplace, if coworkers witness someone being bullied but don’t step in or report it, the victim may feel isolated and unprotected, intensifying the impact of the abuse.
7. “Don’t judge yourself by what others did to you.” – C. Kennedy
Meaning: Victims of abuse often internalize blame and believe they deserved the treatment they received. This quote reminds them that the fault lies with the abuser, not the victim.
Example: A survivor of emotional abuse in a relationship might initially blame themselves for “provoking” their partner’s behavior. Understanding that the abuse was the partner’s choice, not their own failure, can be a step toward healing.
8. “Abuse is not love. Love doesn’t hurt.” – Unknown
Meaning: Genuine love does not involve pain, manipulation, or control. Abuse is often disguised as “love” by the abuser, but real love is nurturing and kind.
Example: In a relationship where one partner isolates the other from friends and constantly criticizes them, recognizing that love should be supportive—not painful—might help the abused partner see the truth and seek help.
9. “Not all wounds are visible.” – Unknown
Meaning: Abuse is not always physical; emotional and mental abuse are equally damaging, though they may not show visible signs. It’s essential to recognize these forms of abuse as valid and impactful.
Example: A person who experiences gaslighting (being manipulated into doubting their perception) by a family member might seem outwardly fine but could suffer from self-doubt and anxiety internally.
10. “Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” – Elie Wiesel
Meaning: Staying silent about abuse indirectly enables the abuser by allowing them to continue their harmful actions without consequences. Speaking up, however, can challenge and potentially stop the abuse.
Example: In a school where bullying occurs, if students and teachers don’t address it, bullies may feel emboldened. Addressing and speaking against it helps create a safer space for everyone involved.
Each of these quotes provides insights into various aspects of abuse, emphasizing self-worth, awareness, and the importance of breaking the silence. They also underline the empowering process of reclaiming one’s voice and choosing healing over pain.
Each of these quotes highlights an aspect of abuse, encouraging reflection and self-empowerment. Abuse often has complex effects, and recognizing its forms and impacts is a step toward healing and prevention.
Many of these poignant quotes highlight the critical necessity of breaking the silence that often surrounds incidents of abuse. They underscore the courage it takes for victims to emerge from the shadows, share their stories, and seek the help they need. By doing so, these quotes empower individuals to confront their trauma and reclaim their narratives, fostering a culture where speaking out is met with understanding and support rather than judgment or disbelief.
In addition to their personal significance, these quotes play a vital role in inspiring healing and igniting important conversations. They serve as catalysts for discussions about the complexities inherent in abusive relationships, shedding light on the intricate dynamics of power, control, and manipulation that often characterize such situations. By raising awareness of these issues, society can begin to dismantle the stigma surrounding abuse, encouraging more individuals to come forward and seek assistance.
Through reflection on these powerful words, individuals can discover a sense of validation and strength in their experiences. They provide a framework for understanding the emotional turmoil that many survivors endure, reminding them that they are not alone in their struggles. Furthermore, by fostering a broad societal awareness of the realities of abuse, these quotes contribute to a collective effort to promote change, challenging cultural narratives that minimize or dismiss the experiences of survivors.
Ultimately, the resonance of abuse quotes lies in their ability to articulate the struggles and triumphs of those affected. They serve not just as a means of expressing pain but also as a beacon of hope, encouraging resilience and understanding in the face of adversity. Through these words, individuals can find solace, support, and a pathway toward healing, while simultaneously advocating for a more compassionate and informed society.
Thought of the day on Abuse
Overcoming abuse doesn’t just happen, It takes positive steps everyday. Let today be the day you start to move forward.
- Assunta Harris Thoughts
Verbal abuse is still abuse. It's abuse in the form of words. Don't assume that a few hurtful words won't cost them their life. Words hurt. - unknown |
Leaving an abusive partner is a very difficult thing to do. It frequently feels like you are failing, or destroying your family, or not trying to work things out, or not giving your partner a second chance. - Blaine Nelson |
I was heartbroken, scared, I had a lot of anxiety, I was worried, I felt weak, and I had no idea how I was ever going to come up with the strength. But I just closed my eyes and took a blind leap. I knew I had to get out of there. - Bob Casey Jr |
You can recognize survivors of abuse by their courage. When silence is so very inviting, they step forward and share their truth so others know they aren’t alone. - Jeanne McElvaney |
The boys had always been her reason to stay, but now for the first time they were her reason to leave. She’d allowed violence to become a normal part of their life. - Liane Moriarty |
Do not suppose that abuses are eliminated by destroying the object which is abused. Men can go wrong with wine and women. Shall we then prohibit and abolish women? - Martin Luther |
If you are insulted, if you are accused, if they gossip about you, don’t say anything bad. Don’t be the one who sees the shame, be the one who corrects it. - Unknown |
To those who abuse: the sin is yours, the crime is yours, and the shame is yours. To those who protect the perpetrators: blaming the victims only masks the evil within, making you as guilty as those who abuse. Stand up for the innocent or go down with the rest. - Flora Jessop |
Verbal abuse is still abuse. It’s abuse in the form of words. Don’t assume that a few hurtful words won’t cost them their life. Words hurt. - Unknown |
People who treat other people as less than human must not be surprised when the bread they have cast on the waters comes floating back to them, poisoned. - James Baldwin 1924 - 1987 |
Never forget that walking away from something unhealthy is brave even if you stumble a little on your way out the door. - Unknown |
Abuse Quotes List |
I believe the root of all evil is abuse of power. - Patricia Cornwell |
Nobody abuses us more than we abuse ourselves. - Don Miguel Ruiz Quotation |
The President is always abused. If he isn’t, he isn’t doing anything. - A Quotation From Harry S Truman |
Celibacy is the worst form of self-abuse. - Peter De Vries |
The abuse of greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power. - Abuse Quotes by Mary Bertone |
Grief does not demand pity; It requests acknowledgment. - Jude Gibbs |
Don’t judge yourself by what others did to you. - Cody Kennedy |
Trauma may happen to you, but it can never define you. - Melinda Longtin |
Any abuse of animals is the same as abuse of men, women, or children. - Alison Goldfrapp |
Democracy is an abuse of statistics. - Jorge Luis Borges |
The enemy doesn’t stand a chance when the victim decides to survive. - Rae Smith |
Pity those who nature abuses; never those who abuse nature. - Richard Brinsley Sheridan |
One day, I plan to love so loudly, my body abandons every demon harvesting me. - Arati Warrier |
Whipping and abuse are like laudanum; you have to double the dose as the sensibilities decline. - Harriet Beecher Stowe |
You survived the abuse. You’re gonna survive the recovery. - Olivia Benson |
Abuse is abuse; Be nice.. Harsh words don't break bones but they often break hearts. - Rev Run |
The scars you can’t see are the hardest to heal. - Astrid Alauda |
Child abuse casts a shadow the length of a lifetime. - Herbert Ward |
Men will let you abuse them if only you will make them laugh. - Henry Ward Beecher |
Not all forms of abuse leave bruises. - Danielle Steel |
Love yourself instead of abusing yourself. - Karolina Kurkova |
So many people suffer from abuse, and suffer alone. - Pamela Stephenson |
Stop Bullying. No one deserves to feel worthless. - Rebecca Black |
Nobody abuses us more than we abuse ourselves. - Don Miguel Ruiz |
When purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable. - Dr. Myles Munroe |
Our business is infested with idiots who try to impress by using pretentious jargon. - David Ogilvy |
You survived the abuse, you’re going to survive the recovery. - Mariska Hargitay |
Abuse is the weapon of the vulgar. - Samuel Griswold Goodrich |
Men who flatter women do not know them; men who abuse them know them still. - Constance de Théis |
Abuse is the weapon of the vulgar. - Samuel Griswold Goodrich |
Child abuse casts a shadow the length of a lifetime. - Herbert Ward |
Use, do not abuse; neither abstinence nor excess ever renders man happy. - Voltaire |
Abuse is abuse; Be nice.. Harsh words don’t break bones but they often break hearts. - Rev Run |
So many people suffer from abuse, and suffer alone. - Pamela Stephenson |
The biggest abuses in society happen when people are not able to communicate and not able to connect. - Heather Brooke |
Be careful what you say. You can say something hurtful in ten seconds. But ten years later ,the wounds are still there. - Unknown |
He's three shades to the wind -Unknown |
When we as human beings, are trusted with life, but lack the value thereof, we are only left with one thing abuse! - Unknown |
Never let someone who contributes so little to a relationship control so much of it. - Unknown |
Abuse changes your life...Fight Back and change the life of your abusers by Breaking Your Silence on Abuse! - Patty Rase Hopson |
There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds. - Unknown |
The more that we choose not to talk about domestic violence, the more we shy away from the issue, the more we lose. - Russell Wilson |
When people treat you like they don’t care, believe them. - Unknown |
Where there is flagrant abuse of corporate entities we must and will seek to tackle it. - Vince Cable |
I now see how owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do. - Brené Brown |
Mental abuse is much more painful than physical abuse because you are consumed by your own thoughts. - Unknown |
Each time a woman stands up for herself without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women. - Maya Angelou |
It is not the the bruises on the body that hurt. It is the wounds of the heart and the scars on the mind. - Aisha Mirza |
Abusers are able to fool those outside the home because they usually only abuse those inside the home. - Unknown |
If you abuse my trust, That’s your loss not mine. - Unknown |
From every wound there is a scar, and every scar tells a story. A story that says, -I survived. - Fr. Craig Scott |
Do you never look at yourself when you abuse another person? - Plautus |
Trust is only a five letter word but it can be misused is so many different ways. - Unknown |
Emotional abuse is the leading reason of suicide victims. - Unknown |
You can’t heal a wound you can’t name. - Unknown |
I am in an emotionally abusive relationship but I don’t know how to leave because he needs me. - Unknown |
Its takes a huge effort to free yourself from memory. - Unknown |
If you walked away from a toxic, negative, abusive, one-sided, dead-end low vibrational relationship or friendship-you won. - Unknown |
Abuse is the means in which violence retards love. - Unknown |
It is not the bruises on the body that hurt. It is the wounds of the heart and the scars on the mind. - Aisha Mirza |
Never join with your friend when he abuses his horse or his wife, unless the one is about to be sold, and the other to be buried. - Charles Caleb Colton |
A tongue has no bones but it can break heart. - Unknown |
I’m starting to remember who I was before you convinced me I was worthless. - Unknown |
Abuse if you slight it, will gradually die away; but if you show yourself irritated, you will be thought to have deserved it. - Tacitus |
Overcoming abuse doesn’t just happen, It takes positive steps everyday. Let today be the day you start to move forward. - Assunta Harris * |
Don’t abuse elders. You will be an elder soon. - Unknown |
One’s dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but it can never be taken away unless it is surrendered. Abuse Quotes by Michael J. Fox |
Do you never look at yourself when you abuse another person? - Plautus |
Abuse is the weakest expression of strength. It is weakness to destroy what you ought to protect, build and make better. - Kingsley Opuwari Manuel |
Don’t let others define you or they might pick the worst word in the dictionary. - Unknown |
I’d rather die than be violated. - Unknown |
Survivors of abuse show us the strength of their personal spirit every time they smile. - Jeanne McElvaney |
Emotional abuse is like being continuously kicked in the shins. It can be worse than getting one punch in the face, and it cements itself. - Unknown |
Never judge a philosophy by its abuse. - Unknown |
Emotional abuse is the silent marriage killer. - Unknown |
A man who desires to soften another man’s heart, should always abuse himself. In softening a woman’s heart, he should abuse her. - Unknown |
Some degree of abuse is inseparable from the proper use of everything. - Unknown |
The biggest abuses in society happen when people are not able to communicate and not able to connect. - Heather Brooke |
The hardest part about being a sensitive soul is knowing when to love them more and when to let them go. - Unknown |
When you have no basis for an argument, abuse the plaintiff. - Marcus Tullius Cicero |
Abuse changes your life…Fight Back and change the life of your abusers by Breaking Your Silence on Abuse! - Patty Rase Hopson |
There is no excuse for human rights abuse, whether in the name of security or in the name of liberation. - Irene Khan |
Evil comes from the abuse of free will. - C.S Lewis Download or Share |
The only cure for contempt is counter-contempt. - H. L. Mencken 1880 - 1956 Download or Share |
You survived the abuse. You’re going to survive the recovery. - Unknown Download or Share |
At any given moment you have the power to say this is not how the story is going to end. - Abuse Quotes by Christine Mason Miller Download or Share |
Men will let you abuse them if only you will make them laugh. - Henry Ward Beecher Download or Share |
No woman has to be a victim of physical abuse. Women have to feel like they are not alone. - Salma Hayek Download or Share |
A fly may sting a stately horse and make him wince; but one is but an insect, and the other is a horse still. - Samuel Johnson 1709 - 1784 Download or Share |
Abuse if you slight it, will gradually die away; but if you show yourself irritated, you will be thought to have deserved it. - Tacitus Download or Share |
Every abuse ought to be reformed, unless the reform is more dangerous than the abuse itself. - Voltaire Download or Share |
Abuse a man unjustly, and you will make friends for him. - Abuse Quotes by Edgar Watson Howe Download or Share |
Words hurt. I have scars to proof it. - Unknown Download or Share |
The abuse of a harmless thing is the essence of sin. - Abuse Quote by Aw Tozer Download or Share |
The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse. - Edmund Burke Download or Share |
It's not a slam at you when people are rude - it's a slam at the people they've met be before. - Unknown |
When it comes to abuse, you believe there’s no way out. There is always help. There is always a way out. - Rev. Donna Mulvey |
Abuse of words is the foundation of ideology. - Unknown |
Sometimes the shame is not the beatings, not the rape. The shaming is in being asked to stand judgment. - Meena Kandasamy |
I’m broken. I’m just so fucking broken, that nothing can fix me. - Unknown |
Overcoming abuse doesn't just happen, It takes positive steps everyday. Let today be the day you start to move forward. - Assunta Harris |
Being a survivor of emotional abuse is fighting daily battles in your head with a person you no longer have contact with. - Unknown |
The earth we abuse and the living things we kill will, in the end, take their revenge; for in exploiting their presence we are diminishing our future. - Marya Mannes |
We should meet abuse by forbearance. Human nature is so constituted that if we take absolutely no notice of anger or abuse, the person indulging in it will soon weary of it and stop. - Mohandas Gandhi |
It doesn’t matter how rich or poor a person is, what gender or social class, or how much fame or education she possesses. Verbal, mental, and physical abuse can happen to anyone. It doesn’t matter what a woman’s ethnicity is because the only distinguishing color of abuse is black-and-blue. - La Toya Jackson |
Controllers, abusers and manipulative people don’t question themselves. They don’t ask themselves if the problem is them. They always say the problem is someone else. - Unknown |
Someone once asked me how I hold my head up so high after all I have been through. I said it’s because no matter what, I am a survivor, not a victim. - Patricia Buckley |
Learn to use an axe, and respect it and you can't help but love it. But abuse one and it will wear your hands raw and open your foot like an overcooked sausage. - Richard Proenneke |
These are the four abuses: desire to succeed in order to make oneself famous; taking credit for the labors of others; refusal to correct one's errors despite advice; refusal to change one's ideas despite warnings. - Confucius |
