8 Types of abuse and their characteristics

There are different types of abuse, each of them with specific characteristics, such as physical, psychological, economic, cultural, sexual abuse, among others. These are behavioral patterns used by one person when they want to exercise control over another. Unfortunately, it is one of the worst situations that an individual can go through and it leaves many consequences that are difficult to erase. Furthermore, regardless of whether it is physical, verbal or other abuse, these are behaviors that tend to worsen over time, so it is essential to identify these patterns to get out of that harmful cycle as soon as possible.

In the following Psychology-Online article we will explore the types of abuse and their characteristics so that you can learn to identify them quickly.

What is the profile of abusers like?

The profile of an abuser can vary, however, there are some general characteristics that are usually common. On the one hand, they are authoritarian and have autocratic and uncompromising traits. They love order, but from a subjective perspective, that is, according to their personal criteria, and they can become angry if they are not obeyed, regardless of whether they are right or wrong.

On the other hand, acts of abuse are carried out voluntarily and intentionally, so these types of people are aware that these actions are a violation of the rights of the person they are mistreating. Violence can be exercised directly or indirectly through physical attacks, humiliation, threats or coercion.

Another crucial aspect to keep in mind is that abuses often go unnoticed. There may be abusers in the couple, family, school, work and, ultimately, in any environment. It is important that you know the profile of an abuser so that you know what you may be dealing with. Therefore, it is important to be able to detect them quickly in order to end the toxic relationship as soon as possible.

physical abuse

Physical abuse is the type of abuse that people often associate with the word “abuse” and, in fact, it is often considered the only one that exists. This type of abuse consists of physical attacks directed for attack the well-being of peoplethat is, to harm their body or organism.

It may include hitting, scratching, pushing, kicking, slapping, strangling, forcibly restraining the person, or pulling hair, among other types of abuse. violent and uncomfortable behavior. Driving in a reckless manner or trying to invade someone’s personal space without their consent is also considered physical abuse.

sexual abuse

Also known as sexual abuse, this type of abuse is a form of violence that involves sexual acts performed without the consent of a person. However, sexual abuse does not only refer to the sexual act itself, but to a series of events and actions that harm and leave very strong consequences on the victims of this type of abuse.

It is an act of power and control that is used to humiliate, degrade and dominate to the victim. It can include behaviors such as unwanted physical contact, exposure to sexually explicit materials, sexual harassment, and rape. Here you will find the.

This type of abuse can have long-lasting and traumatic effects, which can include physical harm, sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies, as well as psychological disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Furthermore, it can occur in any context, including family, romantic, work, school relationships, among others.

emotional abuse

Emotional abuse is also known as emotional or psychological abuse and, although it does not leave visible wounds, its consequences can be even worse than those of physical abuse, since affects the psyche of people, emotions and feelings.

This type of abuse can include:

  • Blame the other person for everything bad that happens.
  • Insults, screams and humiliation.
  • Sickly jealousies.
  • humiliation and shame permanent.
  • Full control of personal independence.
  • Isolation and stalkingamong other limiting and abusive behaviors.

Economic or financial abuse

When a person or organization tries to maintain power over your finances It is considered economic abuse. For example, if someone tries to take your assets, damage your credit record or cause you harm so that you do not go to work, they will be abusing your financial means.

Bullying

Bullying encompasses all types of harassment that occurs in the educational environment, in which students suffer physical or psychological abuse. Without fear of being wrong, we can affirm that it is one of the most worrying types of abuse, since children, young people and adolescents often do not have the tools to defend themselves and can even end in suicide.

In this article we explain to you.

Mobbing

First of all, the bullying is the abuse that a person can experience in their Workplace, which is why it is also known as workplace harassment. Generally, it happens when there are authoritarian bosses or when a colleague wants to cause a worker to resign through hostility.

Here we explain.

As for bullying, it is about harassment that occurs in the educational environment, in which students suffer physical or psychological abuse. Without fear of being wrong, we can affirm that it is one of the most worrying types of abuse, since children, young people and adolescents often do not have the tools to defend themselves and can even end in suicide.

Digital abuse

Digital abuse or technological abuse is a form of abuse that many people use to control social interactions of others and their personal movements. It usually happens between some couples or between teenagers to control what is said or published on different social networks.

Some examples of digital abuse include to hack the other person’s personal email or bank accounts, using trackers on their cell phone or computer, or demanding passwords from a partner or another person.

Institutional abuse

Some institutions, both public and private, can mistreat certain people, whether by omission, delay or bureaucracy regarding their procedures. In turn, this type of abuse can give way to other worrying practices such as bribery, cheating or scams.

On the other hand, the omission of facts, the negligence, carelessness and abandonmentsince all of them affect the comprehensive well-being of people.

This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Types of abuse and their characteristicswe recommend that you enter our category.

Bibliography

  • Castillo, Neyla. Types of abuse. Extracted on, 2006, vol. 3.
  • Thompson, O. C. & Vega, L. (2001). Research designs in biomedical sciences. Mexican Journal of Pediatrics, 68 (4), 147-151.
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