I am so glad you covered this subterfuge. It is so prevalent in our society, not just in families. To my mind, it is one step below physical violence. It's what someone does to you who wants to be violent but wants to avoid a prison sentence and it is used with unfettered regularity in our sick society. It should only be used as a rarity, when someone is continually abusing another. It is the only "weapon" of peaceful people but it is not peaceful when used almost all the time. I think in my life I have used this technique twice both times to make a case. But I happen to be someone who cannot keep my mouth shut for very long. The torture that the silent treatment inflicts is done deliberately. Everyone knows it is hurting the other and that's why they do it. We need to call out people who do this, have a database of them somewhere so they can be seen for what they are and maybe learn that that is not how decent people treat others. I'm sorry you experienced such torture.