Reporting mental abuse starts with contacting the right agency for your situation, whether that’s local law enforcement, a domestic violence hotline, child protective services, or adult protective services. The process differs depending on who is being abused, who is doing the abusing, and where the abuse is happening. Each path has its own intake process, but all of them take emotional and psychological abuse seriously, even without physical violence.
What Counts as Mental Abuse
Mental abuse, also called emotional or psychological abuse, is the intentional infliction of distress, anguish, or intimidation through non-physical acts. It includes coercion, harassment, isolation, verbal assaults, screaming, intimidation, rejection, ridicule, blame, and persistent sarcasm. Constant exposure to family conflict or domestic violence also qualifies. The key element in most legal definitions is a pattern of behavior that causes or threatens to cause mental injury.
You do not need bruises or physical evidence to report. Many people hesitate because they believe abuse “doesn’t count” without a physical component. Courts, protective agencies, and law enforcement all recognize non-physical harm. In California, for example, state law defines emotional abuse as the willful harming or injuring of a person through unjustifiable mental suffering. New York’s family court system explicitly states that a person does not have to hit you for their behavior to be a family offense.
Reporting Abuse by a Partner or Family Member
Your first step is the National Domestic Violence Hotline. You can call 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE), text START to 88788, or use the live chat on thehotline.org. Advocates are available around the clock and can help you figure out your next move, whether that’s filing a police report, seeking a protective order, or connecting with a local shelter.
If you want to file a police report, call your local non-emergency police line or visit the station in person. Be specific about what happened: describe the words used, the frequency of incidents, any witnesses, and how the behavior has affected you. Officers may document your report under harassment, menacing, or stalking statutes depending on your state. Bring any evidence you have, such as text messages, voicemails, emails, or screenshots of social media posts.
You can also petition for a protective order (sometimes called a restraining order) through your local family or civil court. Physical violence is not required. In most states, you need to show a pattern of conduct that would cause a reasonable person substantial emotional distress. Many courts offer temporary orders on the same day you file, which are then reviewed at a full hearing. The order can require the abuser to stop contacting you, stay away from your home or workplace, and cease all harassing behavior.
Reporting Child Emotional Abuse
If a child is being mentally or emotionally abused, contact your local child protective services agency or call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. You can also report through your state’s CPS website. You do not need to be certain abuse is occurring. A reasonable suspicion is enough to make a report, and agencies are required to evaluate it.
When you call, be ready to provide the child’s name and age, the name and relationship of the suspected abuser, specific behaviors you’ve observed (verbal assaults, isolation, intimidation, constant belittling), and any changes in the child’s behavior such as severe withdrawal, regression, hyperactivity, or dangerous acting out. CPS will determine whether the report meets the legal definition and assign it for a family assessment.
Certain professionals are legally required to report suspected child abuse, including teachers, school staff, doctors, nurses, social workers, mental health professionals, law enforcement officers, childcare providers, athletic coaches, and camp or youth program employees. In most states, any adult can make a voluntary report. Reports can typically be made anonymously, and good-faith reporters are protected from legal liability.
Reporting Abuse of an Older Adult
For elder abuse, contact your local Adult Protective Services office. Every county has one, usually operated through the Department of Social Services. You can find your local office through the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116. APS receives and evaluates reports to determine whether a disabled or older adult needs protective services, and emotional abuse falls within their scope.
When reporting, describe the specific behaviors you’ve witnessed, how long they’ve been happening, the relationship between the abuser and the older adult, and any observable effects on the person’s mental state or daily functioning. APS will investigate and can connect the person with services ranging from counseling to legal advocacy.
Reporting Workplace Psychological Harassment
If mental abuse is happening at work, your first formal step is filing a complaint with your employer’s Human Resources department. The EEOC recommends reporting harassment to management at an early stage to prevent escalation. Put your complaint in writing, document specific incidents with dates and details, and keep copies of everything you submit.
Before or alongside your HR complaint, tell the person directly that their conduct is unwelcome and must stop, if it’s safe to do so. This creates a record and strengthens any future claim. If your employer fails to act, or if the harassment is tied to a protected characteristic like race, sex, religion, national origin, age, or disability, you can file a charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) at eeoc.gov or by calling 1-800-669-4000.
One important legal detail: if a supervisor’s behavior creates a hostile work environment, the employer can only avoid liability by proving it tried to prevent and correct the harassment, and that you failed to use the complaint process available to you. This means using your company’s reporting system actually strengthens your legal position if things escalate.
Gathering Evidence Before You Report
Mental abuse rarely leaves visible marks, so documentation becomes your most powerful tool. Start keeping a detailed log of incidents, noting the date, time, location, what was said or done, and any witnesses present. Save text messages, emails, voicemails, and social media messages. Screenshot conversations before they can be deleted. If you’re in a one-party consent state, you may be able to record conversations legally, but check your state’s laws first.
Write down how the abuse has affected you: changes in sleep, appetite, anxiety, ability to work, or relationships with others. If you’ve seen a therapist, doctor, or counselor about the effects, those records can support your report. Even notes in a personal journal, written close to when events happened, carry weight because they show a consistent pattern over time.
Creating a Safety Plan
Reporting can sometimes escalate an abuser’s behavior, so having a safety plan matters. Identify a safe place you can go if the situation becomes dangerous: a friend’s home, a family member’s house, or a local shelter. Keep important documents (ID, financial records, medications, phone chargers) in a bag you can grab quickly, or store copies with someone you trust.
If you’ve obtained a protective order, keep a copy with you at all times and give copies to your workplace, your children’s school, and anyone else who might need to enforce it. Program emergency numbers into your phone. Let at least one trusted person know what’s happening so they can check in on you. The National Domestic Violence Hotline can walk you through a personalized safety plan over the phone or chat.
Resources in Canada and the UK
In Canada, call 911 for immediate danger. Kids Help Phone offers 24/7 support for anyone under 25 at 1-800-668-6868, or text CONNECT to 686868. The Hope for Wellness Helpline serves Indigenous communities at 1-855-242-3310 with culturally competent counselors available in English, French, Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut. Sheltersafe.ca connects women and children with nearby shelters. The Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse provides resources for older adults experiencing emotional harm.
In the UK, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline operates at 0808 2000 247, available 24 hours a day. Childline can be reached at 0800 1111 for anyone under 19. The charity Action on Elder Abuse runs a helpline at 080 8808 8141 for concerns about older adults.