Link – The Truth About Quiet Verbal Abuse
Not all child abuse is physical, and not all verbal abuse involves being yelled at.
The child subjected to quiet abuse often experiences more emotional confusion than one who’s being yelled at or insulted, precisely because the absence of rage sends mixed signals and the motivation behind willful silence or a refusal to answer is impossible for a child to read. There’s a special kind of hurt in being treated as though you’re invisible, or that you are so unimportant in the scheme of things that you’re not even worth answering. Is there anything more chilling and hurtful than seeing your mother act as though she can’t see you, her face calm?
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/tech-support/201701/the-truth-about-quiet-verbal-abuse
