Diversion - another form of abuse

Blocking and diverting is a form of verbal/emotional abuse

Blocking and diverting is basically changing the topic of a conversation or refusing to participate in it to gain control.

When my husband switches topics, he reveals that he doesn’t see me as a rational person who would notice that the conversation no longer makes sense (and sometimes, I don’t). Or, as Patricia Evans says, he refuses to act like a rational person. You can’t tell him that though!

source: https://verbalabusejournals.com/about-abuse/what-is-verbal-abuse/examples-of-verbal-abuse/blocking-diverting/