Also, if I understood you correctly - "In my mind that is why abstain exist, so you may recluse yourself from voting in a situation where casting a vote would hinder or harbor ill will." You're saying you should use the Abstain when you don't want to vote because it might cause offense or put you at risk? Abstain exists so you can lodge your protest, or say you only think there are x number of viable candidates and no-one else is worth voting for, not so you can not vote because it's going to put you at risk. If that was the case, you don't vote or you vote privately, that's kind of the main thing about private voting.
ab·stainabˈstān/Submitverb1.restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something."abstaining from chocolate""most pregnant women abstain or drink very little"synonyms: refrain from, desist from, hold back from, forbear; Moreantonyms: indulge in, drink2.formally decline to vote either for or against a proposal or motion."forty-one voted with the opposition, and some sixty more abstained"synonyms: not vote, decline to vote More