Aspect	Playful / Teasing	Abusive / Harmful
Intent	Fun, joking, mutual understanding	Hurtful, controlling, or humiliating
Emotional Impact	Everyone laughs, feels included	Victim feels upset, scared, degraded, or anxious
Frequency	Occasional, balanced with positive interactions	Repetitive, constant, targets insecurities
Context	Among friends, family, or partners who know boundaries	Used to dominate, punish, or manipulate
Reaction to Pushback	Stops if someone asks, adjusts tone	Ignores feelings, doubles down, blames victim
Tone / Delivery	Light, humorous, non-threatening	Harsh, aggressive, mocking, sarcastic in a cruel way
Focus	Shared joke, playful teasing	Criticism of appearance, intelligence, worth, or personal vulnerabilities
Relationship Effect	Strengthens bonds, laughter, connection	Damages trust, creates fear, resentment, or trauma

---

Key Points

• Playful teasing is consensual, light, and strengthens social bonds.
• Abusive language is targeted, repetitive, and intended to harm, control, or demean.
• If someone feels unsafe, anxious, or humiliated, it’s abuse, not humor.

---