Can insults and mean words be cruelty?
Couples who argue fairly can so do because they establish protocols, limits and rules of engagement. Insults and mean words must be more than an argument. In some jurisdictions, insults or cruel or cutting remarks are evidence of mental cruelty. In states that recognize mental cruelty, there usually is a requirement that the victim’s health, physical well-being, or mental health are directly affected. Once again, however, the he says-she says quandary arises to torment the judge who struggles to do what is right.
