There are very few things that make me violent. Cruelty to children, animals, and women are my top 3. In that order. I guess the general vulnerability of the victim is what drives me to rage. Children and animals are on the same vulnerability scale, but I think abusing children is worse, since I hold humans in higher regard than animals. Women are less vulnerable, although the abuse is often extreme.

For the record, for me, mental and emotional abuse are equally foul. I once knew a guy that though he didn't ever lay a hand on his wife, kept her totally vulnerable constantly. Things like not allowing her to leave the house unless he was with her, not giving her a key to said house, giving her an extremely small "allowance", etc. It made me physically sick to look at him. What I don't and never will understand is whay she stayed. I mean, I get that their self-worth is chipped at until there is nothing left, but come on. There has to be a line somewhere.