Suffering abuse is one of the worst experiences a human being can go through because the victims of these acts can not only suffer consequences on a physical level, but the psychological consequences for them can be devastating and last a long time, even a lifetime.
Unfortunately, abuse can appear in different situations, with a partner, at work, at school, etc. In this article We will delve into the different types of abuse and review their characteristics
The person who suffers abuse can be scarred for life. But, What is an abuser like? What characteristic features define it? In many cases, these types of people suffer from psychological problems; some have grown up in poorly structured families and in environments conducive to developing this type of personality.
Abusers are usually intolerant, authoritarian, psychologically inflexible, aggressive, cruel and insensitive people. But, what stands out most about this type of people is that they tend to be nice at first, they are blackmailers and they feel easily offended.
If you want to know more about what abusive individuals are like, visit our article: “Profile of the psychological abuser: 21 common traits.”
What types of abuse are there and what are their characteristics?
There are different types of abuse, but. which are?
Below you can find a list with the definition and characteristics of the different types of abuse
Physical abuse is a type of abuse in which there is more than just words, that is, there is physical violence Therefore, this abuse usually produces a physical injury, the product of a single or repeated punishment, which can vary in its magnitude or intensity.
Because this type of abuse takes many forms and can occur in a wide variety of contexts, it overlaps with other categories that we will see later.
The most common forms of physical abuse are:
2. Verbal, emotional or psychological abuse
In psychological abuse there is no physical contact, however, the consequences can be longer lasting than those caused by pushing, hitting or pulling hair. It can appear together with physical abuse, and It is characterized by being a type of emotional violence in which, among others, these behaviors are used:
3. Child abuse
Child abuse can be of different types, for example, physical or psychological Its main characteristic is that the person who is a victim of this type of abuse is a boy or girl, someone in a life stage in which they are especially vulnerable.
At these ages, the consequences can last a lifetime , although its severity varies greatly. One of the psychological phenomena that most encourages are problems of low self-esteem and avoidant attachment.
4. Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse is one of the worst forms of abuse, because the consequences of these intimate acts may never go away Abuse of this type can be in two forms: either by exercising this type of violence directly on the victim or through sexual exploitation.
This type of abuse can manifest itself not only with very violent contact, but kisses, caresses, touching and even words with intimate content are classified as behaviors of this type of abuse. The psychological impact that it can generate varies depending on the nature of the aggression and certain personality attributes of the person attacked.
Bullying is a term of Anglo-Saxon origin that is very popular today. It refers to both the physical and psychological abuse that occurs in the school environment The vulnerability of people who suffer from bullying and the pain they feel is so great that they can commit suicide in the most extreme cases, since the boy or girl, in addition, has the obligation to constantly go to school, exposing themselves to the bad deals.
6. Mobbing
Mobbing is a phenomenon practically identical to bullying, with the difference that happens in the workplace This causes serious problems for the victim, who is forced to go to work and suffer all kinds of abuse and contempt that can undermine her self-esteem.
Many times, mobbing is aimed at forcing a job resignation, since dismissal of the abused person would cause problems with the law. In other cases, it may be motivated by problems of competitiveness and envy associated with an environment based on individualism. That is, this type of abuse can be instrumental or it can be induced or facilitated by psychological aspects such as prejudice, impulsivity, irritability, etc.
If you want to delve deeper into this topic, you can read our article: “The 6 types of mobbing or workplace harassment”
7. Digital abuse or cyberbullying
A modern form of abuse is cyberbullying. This type of abuse is more common in adolescence and is characterized by It is carried out through the digital world and on social networks Cyberbullying can manifest itself in the following ways:
The abuser sends negative, insulting or even threatening emails to the victim. Also send this type of messages through Facebook, Twitter and other social networks
Use the abused person’s account without permission. For example, making updates to your Facebook status
Puts the victim in their status updates, trying to discredit them
Sends you unwanted images by digital means
It threatens to publish and disseminate things that could compromise your privacy in the 2.0 world.
Not only can people mistreat other individuals, but Institutions, both public and private, can, through laws, regulations, procedures or actions , causing abuse, neglect and discomfort to individuals or groups of individuals. This reflects dynamics of discrimination against minorities or, simply, a system of administration and attention to people that allows some individuals to harm citizens without being stopped or removed from their position for it. Furthermore, where it occurs constantly and systematically, it facilitates forms of bribery to emerge.
9. Economic abuse
Mistreatment or abuse is a pattern of behavior used to gain and maintain power and control , and can occur in many ways. One of them is economic abuse, which can occur with any individual, but mostly with a partner or elderly person.
For example, within a couple, when one of the two members spends the other member’s money or makes it impossible for them to use their own purchasing power.
