DEAR ABBY: I'm writing about the man who wrote to say that his wife verbally abused their child. You must tell him to stand up to that woman and insist that it stop, or he is taking the child and leaving her. If she were beating or sexually abusing the boy, that is what he would say. Verbal abuse is all the more dangerous because people let it happen.
The man said that he had received counseling to deal with his wife's verbal abuse. Well, that counseling has not worked if he is still afraid to stand up to her. Abuse happens because people are afraid to do what is necessary to put an end to it.
I would bet this man had angry parents, and that's why he has a deep fear of doing what it takes to stop his wife's abusive behavior. -- MELINDA STENGEL, LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, EVANSTON, ILL.
DEAR MS. STENGEL: And I'm willing to bet you're correct. However, there's no excuse for permitting the abuse to continue or to put off getting whatever help is necessary to end it.