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Forms of Abuse

Forms of Abuse

 Forms of Abuse

Abuse is an attempt to control/manipulate another person.  Abuse is the misuse of power in the bonds of intimacy, trust, and dependency.

  

Physical Abuse: Intentional use of force that results in bodily injury, pain, or impairment.  This includes, but is not limited to; being slapped, kicked, grabbed, pushed, choked, punched, burned, cut, pinched, bruised, physically restrained, reckless driving, throwing things, pulling hair, and much more.
 



Verbal Abuse:
Verbal abuse is deliberate use of insults, slander, yelling, name calling, making threats, sarcastic comments, mocking, interrupting, criticizing, and much more.  The scars from verbal abuse can last for years.  


Emotional Abuse: A willful infliction of mental or emotional anguish by threat, humiliation, intimidation, manipulation, controlling, or other abusive conduct. This includes but is not limited to; criticizing, neglecting, withholding affection/love, emotionally withdrawing as punishment or the "silent treatment", devaluing thoughts/feelings, refusing to listen, refusing to communicate, rejecting, ignoring, not keeping promises, lying, and much more. 

 
Sexual Abuse: Non-Consensual sexual contact of any kind.  This includes, but is not limited to; forcing sex against will, forcing sex with other partners, forcing sex for money, withholding sex/affection, denying feelings about sex/sexual preference, using sex to "make up", and incest.  There are overt and covert forms of sexual abuse.
 
Active Neglect Intentionally withholding care-taking functions and responsibilities, resulting in failure to meet the physical, social, and/or emotional needs of an individual. This may be motivated by interpersonal conflicts and/or financial gain of the caregiver. This includes, but is not limited to; abandonment, deprivation of food, water, heat, cleanliness, and/or health related services.
 
Passive Neglect Unintentional failure of the caregiver to fulfill care-taking responsibilities as a result of inadequate caregiver knowledge, illness, disability, stress, and/or disputing the value of prescribed services..
 
Self Neglect Inability to perform tasks essential to caring for oneself, due to physical and/or emotional impairments.  

Financial Abuse: Improper use of funds, property, or resources, by another individual.  This includes, but is not limited to; fraud, embezzlement, forgery, falsifying records, coerced property transfer, denial of access to assets, and control of money. Stealing, withholding money and/or denying access to employment opportunities, preventing access to household financial information.  

Spiritual Abuse: Belittling a person's spiritual beliefs or preventing them from attending the church, synagogue, or temple of their choice.