Elizabeth Martinez Professor Manuel English 001A
June 30, 2018
You Are Not Alone
Abuse appears in various forms in the world and it is something terrible that occurs too
frequently. Child abuse, sexual abuse, and physical abuse are all examples of types of abuse that are more regularly showcased. Although all forms of abuse deserve to be ended I feel there is one form that is often looked over. The ad campaign released by Aware Hotline in Singapore uses rhetoric strategies such as ethos, logos and pathos to showcase the painful effects that verbal abuse can have. Verbal abuse, is a form of communication powered by anger with the intention to cause harm (Wikipedia). Verbal abuse is typically inevitable, we all fall victims to hurtful comments at one point in our lives and as depicted in the ad campaign, these comments leave us with scars because words can hurt just as much, if not more than physical abuse.
Martinez 1
Fig. 1. Studios, Teo. Verbal Abuse Can Be Just as Horrific. May 28, 2008. The Inspiration Room. Web. 30 June 2018. <http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2008/aware-helpline-for- verbal-abuse/>.
The image was brought to light by The Aware Hotline in Singapore in order to raise awareness for verbal abuse. The ad for verbal abuse strategically incorporates the use of Ethos by including the number of their helpline next to a reassuring message. This convinces the audience of the author’s credibility because this is a real organization and they are reaching out to their audience and offering their time, support and guidance during this horrible time in their life. In relation to this campaign, the article titled “Effects Of Verbal Abuse On Children, Women And Men” makes a statement regarding the fear victims hold toward their abuser, “However victims may deny or not recognize their anxiety and feelings of wanting to get away as fear of the abuser” (Holly). I believe this quote makes an accurate contribution to the breakdown of the use of Ethos in the ad because victims are often too terrified of their abuser to even talk about the situation. Almost as if speaking about the situation suddenly makes it more real. Although it is difficult to come to terms with the abuse it helps to have the placement of this reassuring message and a phone number to lead you one step closer to putting an end to the situation. The message of this article is to express the effects verbal abuse can cause such as fear, anxiety, depression, stress, etc. In short, its purpose is also to raise awareness on how painful this type of abuse can be to someone even though it lacks physical pain. I agree with the importance of the article completely because it not only hurts immensely to be verbally abused, it can also have many appalling long-term effects.
Martinez 2
In addition to the incorporation of rhetorical strategies in the ad campaign is the use of Logos. The use of Logos is not as evident to the audience as the use of Ethos or Pathos, this strategy requires you to think a little deeper. Depicted in the image is a fist coming out of a man’s mouth to swing at a woman’s face, the woman looks to be in an immense amount of physical pain. The logical meaning behind this is that no one should have to endure such tremendous amount of pain, in other words it would be logical to initiate the process of getting help and you could do so by calling their hotline. In the article “Verbal abuse in the home can be as damaging as fists” by Paula McGovern, she also sheds light on the fact that many people do not see verbal abuse as a serious issue. “Verbal abuse can have a hugely debilitating effect emotionally and psychologically but because of the lack of tangible evidence it can be harder for women to name it or to show its impact” (McGovern). I agree with the argument of this article because verbal abuse is taken too lightly and should be taken more seriously, this might be due to the fact that it is being overshadowed by any kind of physical abuse. This quote adds to my take on the Logos of the ad campaign in the sense that although it is logical to get out of the situation it is not always easy. Since this type of abuse is not physical, many victims fear that there is not enough evidence for anyone to believe them and it is usually brushed off because others believe the victim is just being too sensitive.
Finally, the last strategy of rhetoric used in the ad campaign is Pathos. In other words, the ability to play with the audience’s heartstrings. Pathos is by far the easiest strategy to spot in this image. It targets the audience’s emotions in many different ways. The first approach is the color, we can perceive that the image is in black and white. The reason behind this is to set a melancholy mood. The second approach is the expressions, from the anger in the man’s face, to the substantial amount of pain this woman is enduring. It resonates with the audience because it
Martinez 3
makes them feel multiple emotions. Anger for the man hurting this woman, and sadness for the woman because she is in so much pain and you wish for no one to be in this position. Or maybe even regret, guilt, or sadness because you’ve been in this position on the giving or receiving end. In the article “5 Things Everyone Must Understand About Verbal Abuse” by Peg Streep also goes into detail about how verbal abuse is much more hurtful than people give it credit for. A quote that I feel added more to my argument is, “Is it surprising many daughters of unloving mothers remark that they wish they’d been beaten so that their scars would show-and people would believe them?” (Streep). As previously mentioned, I agree completely with this argument because many people belittle verbal abuse due to the fact that there are no physical scars to portray the pain. Verbal abuse continues to be overshadowed by any physical kind of physical abuse. This quote also contributes to use of Pathos because it portrays how much pain victims of verbal abuse are really in. The fact that your own child would wish to have physical scars to show for the verbal abuse precipitated by their parents so that someone would believe them is absolutely heartbreaking.
In conclusion, it is important to recognize that verbal abuse is not only a contribution to the many forms of abuse, but that it is equally important. It is just as easy to fall victim to hurtful comments as it is to deliver hurtful comments. It is almost inevitable. We have all been victims of verbal abuse at one point in our lives but as the ad campaign by The Aware Hotline mentions, “Verbal Abuse Can Be Just As Horrific But You Don’t Have To Suffer In Silence…” because verbal abuse is equally as painful if not more than physical abuse.
Martinez 4
Works Cited
Kellie Holly. "Effects Of Verbal Abuse On Children, Women, And Men" healthyplace.com. 26
May 2016. 30 June 2018.
Paula McGovern. "Verbal Abuse In The Home Can Be As Damaging As Fists" thejournal.ie. 17
February 2012. 30 June 2018.
Peg Streep. "5 Things Everyone Must Understand About Verbal Abuse" Psychologytoday.com.
19 Feb 2016. 30 June 2018.
Fig. 1. Studios, Teo. Verbal Abuse Can Be Just as Horrific. May 28, 2008. The Inspiration Room. Web. 30 June 2018. <http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2008/aware-helpline-for- verbal-abuse/>.
"Verbal Abuse" Wikipedia . 14 May 2018. 30 June 2018.