Check out this great article from the Narcissist Family Files… :o)
As the saying goes, we often hurt the ones we love, but narcissists torture others deliberately and with little to no restraint.
Merriam-Webster defines torture as “the infliction of “intense pain to coerce, punish, or afford sadistic pleasure” and “anguish of body or mind.” Anyone who has had the misfortune of being targeted by a narcissist knows very well that torture is in fact precisely the word for the experience. Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is by nature an abusive disorder because of the narcissist’s deficient development of ego and empathy, which leads him/her to compensate with a false vainglorious omnipotent persona in the absence of a moderating conscience.
Those closest to people with NPD, such as a partner/spouse and children, are at most risk of torturous behavior. It can range from psycho-emotional to physical and sexual, but it is inevitable because narcissists don’t care if they hurt others while at the same time are always attempting to exert control.