In Oklahoma, under §21-843.2: “No caretaker shall verbally abuse any person entrusted to the care of the caretaker, or knowingly cause, secure, or permit an act of verbal abuse to be done. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.”
It’s important to note that in the state of Oklahoma, verbal abuse is classified as a crime only within a caretaking capacity. Consequently, verbal abuse alone is not categorized as domestic violence. However, this does not diminish the significance of such an accusation.
Verbal abuse is frequently considered a precursor to domestic violence, and oftentimes, the two are interconnected. Therefore, although verbal abuse may not be legally classified as domestic violence, it should be treated with utmost seriousness.
21843.2 defines verbal abuse the following way: “Verbal abuse means the repeated use of words, sounds, or other forms of communication by a caretaker, including but not limited to, language, gestures, actions or behaviors, that are calculated to humiliate or intimidate or cause fear, embarrassment, shame, or degradation to the person entrusted to the care of the caretaker.”
A Kingfisher, Oklahoma caretaker can be “punished by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not to exceed one (1) year, or by a fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.”
While this law only applies to caretakers – it doesn’t mean that the law doesn’t pertain to domestic violence cases. Since assault and battery are often accompanied by verbal abuse, a noted history of abuse can strengthen a case.
