Abuse is a very broad topic and it comes in many forms.
However, “Abuse includes any form of physical or emotional mistreatment, sexual exploitation, neglect, or careless treatment, as well as commercial or other forms of exploitation, which cause or have the potential to cause harm to a person’s health, well-being, development, or dignity”.
WHO IS PRONE TO ABUSE?
Any gender can be victims of abuse. It includes both male and female. Children, employers, employees, adults, and the aged could all be victims of abuse.
KINDS OF ABUSE:
There are several kinds of abuse. Some are well-known while some are sometimes not even recognized as an abuse.
The major forms of abuse are;
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Physical Abuse
: this involves using physical force; threats of physical force by a person to another (victim) which results in physical injury. It can be caused by slaps, punches, kicks, bites, burns which all could lead physical damage on the body. Victims of physical abuse include; children, wives, husbands, and employees. However, it is a common form of abuse among children and wives in African and Nigerian households.
Physical abuse can therefore be a type of child abuse in cases of children, and domestic abuse in cases of couples.
Examples of physical abuse are; choking, slapping, hitting, kicking, biting, punching, throwing, shoving, attempting to kill the victim, locking the victim in a confinement, force-feeding, hair pulling, locking a victim in or out of the house, restricting or forcing actions.
Effect/Signs of Physical Abuse: Victims become frightened, physical injuries on the body, physical abuse can lead to behavioural, psychological, emotional effects, and depression. According to Scarpa, Haden, & Abercromby, 2010 males and females have different reactions to trauma, where males are more anti-social in their behaviours and females become withdrawn.
Asides consulting medical doctors that will access the body to ensure that injuries both external and internal are treated, it is necessary to visit professional psychologist or therapist who will help assess the mental health of the victims to ensure a positive mindset through this period. At Bestherapy, we offer, psychotherapy sessions that are carried out either face to face or online at your convenience to communicate with our clients.
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Psychological or emotional Abuse:
these are behaviours that harm another person psychologically and could cause anxiety or mental stress to others. This type of abuse is often difficult to prove and therefore may be difficult to intervene. This happens to women and men in marriages, children emotionally abused at the hands of their parents or elders.
Examples of emotional abuse include; telling a child of a partner they are worthless, mocking and name calling, lack of interest in a person’s emotional development, depriving contact especially among partners, humiliation, persistent criticism, shouting, and hostility.
Effects: mood swings, self-destructive behavior, self-harm, aggressive behavior especially among emotional- abused children, high risk of mental problems, feeling hopeless, and deterioration in health.
Treatment: incases of high exposure to this kind of abuse, change of location is advisable. Also victims are advised to seek the help of professional therapists and psychologist who will help them overcome the mental stress and issue through psychotherapy with appropriate medications if necessary. At Bestherapy, we are equipped with professional therapists and psychologist to help handle such cases.
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Sexual Abuse:
This involves inappropriate touches, and interactions. It can be psychological, verbal or virtual of which are perceived to be sexual in nature. These acts when it’s coercive, exploitative, harmful, exploitative and unwanted towards can be seen to be a sexual abuse.
Examples of Sexual abuse: this include rape, sexual assault, fondling and molesting of a victims private parts, sexual acts performed on a person without his or her consent. Also, sexual harassment or abuse may include stalking, exposure of sexual organs and acts to other person without their consent, use of objects to penetrate others private parts without their consent, non-consented exposure to pornography, sexual conversations, remarks or threats.
Very importantly, female genital mutilation although a culture in some areas is considered a form of sexual and physical abuse.
Victims of Sexual abuse: This include both males and female, children, employees
Effects: According to Allnock et al, 2009, sexual abuse on children can lead to impaired ability to cope with stress or emotions, post-traumatic stress, eating disorders, and depression. These effects can also be found in adults. Also, victims may develop sleep disturbances or insomnia, incontinence, aggression, unusual sexual behaviours and anxiety attacks
Victims may have trauma in their genitals, mouth, breast, thighs, abdomen, buttocks and they contact sexually transmitted diseases that could lead to health deterioration.
In cases of sexual abuse, victims are advised to seek the services of physician for proper medical examination and treatment. However, victims are also encouraged to consult professional psychologists to help in their mental health and state. Support groups are also encouraged.
Other forms of abuse include;
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Financial abuse:
This occurs when an individual lacks control over their finances or personal possessions. This type of abuse also happens when an individual is being exploited financially by another person.
Some examples are; fraud, theft, misuse of property and funds, stealing a person’s assets or misuse, manipulating a service user for financial gain, and overcharge of services or goods, and embezzling, misappropriation of funds, stopping a partner from making money so that she is solely dependent on the abuser, and keeping money from family.
Victims of financial abuse may be parents, clients, in work space among work colleagues.
Financial abuse may lead to mental stress on the end of the victims, poverty due to no control over personal funds or bank accounts, refusal to spend money onself, lack of ability to pay for bills.
- Digital abuse: this involves an abusive or exploitative interaction that happens online.
Some include cyber bullying, downloads and posting of inappropriate or material without consent, online sexual abuse, online fraud/ financial abuse, identity theft online, theft of personal information.
This situation can lead to depression, becoming withdrawn, development of obsessive behavior, nightmares, sleeping and eating disorders, anxiety, and drug / alcohol usage.
Anyone can be victims of this from young adults, to mature adults.
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Social abuse/Discriminatory/ Isolation:
unequal treatment or abuse of an individual on the basis of their age, disability, gender identity, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic group, race, family status, and wealth.
Example: Social abuse or discrimination leads to poor treatment by people, family, organizations or society as a whole, preventing a spouse from access to his or her family or friends, and controlling a partner’s movement and activities.
Effects: this discriminatory act against a person may cause the victim to isolate from people and family or any social gathering; it can lead to mental stress and depression. It is necessary for victims to seek for mental help.
- Organizational abuse as the name implies occurs in a formal setting where the organization individuals (workers) wishes and needs are sacrificed for the smooth running of the organization. There is little to no interest in the wellbeing of workers or their service users or clientele.
This leads to inflexible management and routines which encroach upon the dignity and human rights of adults. Poor supervision and management of staff, lack of flexibility in the work, poor relationship among bosses and low ranking staff., toxic environment in the work place.
All these can cause mental distress in victims and therefore should seek help of professional psychologists.
Bestherapy is equipped with professional hands who will ensure that your mental health is at optimum level through series of psychotherapy and medications if needed.
You can reach us by booking a session!
References
Allnock, D, et al (2009) Sexual abuse and therapeutic services for children a
Scarpa, A., Haden, S., & Abercromby, J. (2010). Pathways linking child physical abuse, depression, and aggressiveness across genders. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 19, 757–776