Domestic Abusers May Harm Their Sons to "Toughen Them Up"
Psychology Today | 30.04.2026 21:11
Daniel was hard on his son Justin, even as an infant. He berated Justin’s mother, Hannah, when she sang to him or tried to comfort him when he cried. Daniel allowed Justin to get cold, hungry, and sunburned, claiming this would toughen him up. This made Hannah weep in helpless fury. Over time, Daniel continued to push their son toward a rough masculinity. With Daniel’s lack of protection, Justin was injured often and became a bully at school.
