Dotsie, that "abusive relationship" thing is difficult to define. A person may not have bumps or bruises but can have many emotional or mental scars from someone who becomes mentally, verbally, or emotionally abusive. There is such a thing in my eyes as emotional or verbal abuse. We have to be aware of it and not let that person victimize us. If someone inflicts abuse on anyone, no matter what kind (physical, verbal, mental, emotional) has serious problems that are coming out in all the wrong way. Usually they are related to their own past (maybe they experienced abuse as a child) or addiction/alcoholism. They are acting out.