Understanding the limits of permissible defense in Islam

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, everyone. Can someone share a relevant hadith or Quranic verse to help clarify something? I want to make sure I understand this correctly from an Islamic perspective, so having a reference would be really helpful (jazakAllah khair!). I know that if someone physically attacks me, Islam allows self-defense if it's absolutely necessary. But what about dealing with disrespect or verbal attacks? To be clear, I'm not someone who demands respect for myself. Honestly, I don't really care much about what people say about me personally-it doesn't bother me much. My concern is when it involves my family. I have two sisters, and I often think: if I learned that someone was harassing or verbally abusing them, what would be the appropriate Islamic response? Of course, after first trying to resolve things peacefully and through proper channels. Or if I were with them and someone insulted or threatened them-these might seem like unusual situations, but they could definitely happen. What guidance does Islam provide for protecting family honor while staying within permissible boundaries?