Violent Threat A statement or other communication that expresses an intent to inflict physical harm on a person or a group of people. Violent threats may be direct, such as threats to kill or maim another person; they may also be indirectly implied through metaphor, analogy or other rhetoric that allows the speaker plausible deniability about their meaning or intent. Often overlaps with incitement, such as making a public statement that a person deserves to be harmed, or encouraging others to do so