Childhood verbal abuse as harmful as physical abuse to adult mental health and is on the rise, major new BMJ study finds
6 August 2025
“Too many adults are turning to harsh words without realising the lasting damage to children.” Jessica Bondy, Founder of Words Matter, the first organisation in the world to focus on ending childhood verbal abuse by adults A new landmark study published this week in BMJ Open1 reveals that childhood verbal abuse by adults – criticism, ridicule, threats, humiliation – can