Weapon of Choice: Photo Project Aims to Highlight The Impact Of Verbal Abuse

It might be universal, but it's also a downright lie.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

This playground staple is totally misleading.

Words have an immensely powerful effect on development, ESPECIALLY among children.

The Weapon of Choice Photo Project seeks to draw this to people's attentions, by visually representing the hurt caused by abusive language.

Photographer Rich Johnson has used his editing skills to transform some of the terms used by abusers into branding and bruises demonstrating that, just because you can't see the wound in real life, doesn't mean it isn't there.

Some think a line is only crossed at physical violence, or total neglect.

There are many parents out there who, having suffered mockery and shame in their own childhood home, repeat the cycle without much thought.

But don't be fooled, the use of mean, insulting, attacking language is child abuse.

The consequences of a campaign of nasty language are often deep and longterm.

Children learn to fear their parents, internalising the insults. It destroys self-esteem, rather than toughening or strengthening character, as many wrongly believe.

Tell a boy he's "stupid" enough and he'll believe it.

Call a girl "fat" again and again and you're setting her up for a lifetime of self-loathing.

It also means that children will be afraid to come to their family with problems, or other experiences of abuse and these things may go undetected, with devastating results.

In short, don't do it.

See more of Rich Johnson's powerful imagery below.