Some Physically abusive husbands , when they fear exposure,
stop battering their wives, only to replaced the physical abuse by increasing the emotional abuse.

Authors Richard J. Gelles and Murray A. Straus warn:
" The most hidden , most insidious , least researched,
and perhaps in the long run most damageing form of intimate victimization may be the emotional abuse of loved ones.
Belittling, scorning , ignoring, tearing down, harping, criticizing , are all possible forms of emotional abuse.
Such abuse takes many forms. "

For some women, because of long-term physical and emotional abuse to themselves ,
and many times to their children,
the initial love they had for their spouses has been totally obliterated by the evil they have suffered..