Insult as a kind of psychic violence

The basis of objective element of an insult is an act of disparagement (his negative assessment) in one of three possible forms: physical influence on the victim, a word, a gesture. An insult as the physical element of an offence should be regarded completed from the onset of a socially dangerous consequence, that is of emotional harm caused to a victim by disparagement. From psychological perspective harm caused by an insult is sustained by the victim as a negative emotional state (resentment). Being harmful for a psychic health it has some nuances peculiar for a psychological state of a person and is intimately connected in the process of an insult with a moral injury. Obscene words as a means of disparagement must be considered an administrative offence and a sufficient ground to estimate obscene character of an insult. Science-based forensic linguistic examination and psychological assessment of an insult are likely to reduce miscarriages of justice.