The popular one is physical abuse but I want to focus on Verbal abuse for a change.
First of all I would like to state that I'm not a doctor nor an expert in the matter. I am just someone who is concerned and everything I say is in my honest opinion.
Between the 2 abuses physical abuse leaves scars that in time will heal and fade away, but verbal abuse will damage you and leave you with emotional scars for life. I'm not saying physical abuse is better. They are both wrong! very wrong and there will never be an excuse to do this to other people especially if you claim to love them. Saying that you were not able to control yourself is shit...absolute bullandhorseshit!
You (if you are an abuser) have no right to do this nor does anyone have the right to hurt you. So tell me what makes you so special to think that you can hurt people by saying words that you know very well will demean their entire being? Now, don't you be making promises of changing or starting over that will eventually be broken. You are not only hurting that person, you are giving them false hope. That's evil, you're evil.
If you, on the other hand have not yet experienced hurting someone in this level, please don't even try. Because once you start you can't stop. It becomes an addiction. An addiction to hurt. You turn into a Sadist with out even knowing. The sad part is you wont admit that you turned into one until its all too late. You use words to slowly kill or drive that person crazy.
Now if you are a victim. I'm sorry this happened to you. I'm sorry that you allowed someone to hurt you this way. I'm sorry nobody fought for you. However it's never too late to walk away, stand up for yourself, find someone who can help you, have the courage to accept all that has happened and still make your life better. Please try to see your true value and that you don't deserve to be treated that way, nobody does.