A lot of abuse goes like that I think. A good friend of mine was abused by a step-parent for years in her youth, sexually and physically and the threats thrown at her were veiled as well, riddled with implications.

Things such as that the streets would be a lot colder to sleep on than a bed in a warm house, or that if she'd decide to walk away from home the abuser in question would be 'sad' and would surely want to find comfort with her younger siblings were said all the time. By the time she told everyone about what happened she was heavily suicidal and she only talked because after a failed attempt to take her own life she didn't care about any of his threats anymore.