One partner was told “If you open up to him, he’ll open up to you.” In general, this is not true of the verbal abuser. He will be aware of your vulnerability, and when he’s feeling angry he may use it against you. Some abusers feel triumphant, as if they have won, if their mates feel hurt. Some fly into a rage, claiming that they are being attacked, if their partner tells them when she feels hurt.
