00:00A major study has found that verbal abuse in childhood could be just as harmful to long-term mental health as physical abuse, and in some cases even more so.
00:08The study, led by Liverpool John Moores University and published in the British Medical Journal, looked at data from more than 20,000 adults across England and Wales.
00:17It found that adults who experienced verbal abuse as children were 64% more likely to suffer poor mental well-being, slightly higher than the 52% figure for those who faced physical abuse, and for those exposed to both, the risk more than doubled.
00:34Researchers say people who were verbally abused were more likely to feel pessimistic, emotionally disconnected and mentally unwell later in life.
00:43The study warns that while we've seen real progress in reducing physical abuse, verbal abuse remains widespread and is often underestimated.
00:52Researchers found that physical abuse among children has dropped significantly, from 20% for those born before 1980 to just 10% in recent generations.
01:02Professor Mark Bellis, the study's lead author, says verbal abuse can leave mental health scars as deep and enduring as physical violence, but it's too often dismissed or ignored.
01:12Jessica Bondy, founder of Words Matter, says harsh words can leave lasting damage and we all need to be aware of how we speak to children.
01:21She warns that rising rates of verbal abuse could undo decades of progress in child protection and calls for urgent action to confront the issue.
01:29The message from experts is clear, Words Matter and emotional wounds caused by verbal abuse can last a lifetime.
01:36The study's a powerful reminder, we need to protect children not just from physical violence, but from harmful language too.
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