| Different Types of Abuse and Trauma |
| The dictionary defines trauma as - 1. An event or situation that causes great distress and disruption or 2. An emotional wound or shock that creates substantial, lasting damage to the psychological development of a person, often leading to neurosis. |
| There are many different types of abuse and trauma that a person can experience. These are just outlines of some of the many types of abuse that happen all around us, often without us noticing. The three main types of abuse - physical, sexual and emotional - are related to the abuse of children, but these kinds of abuse can also happen to adults. |
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| What Is Physical Abuse? |
| *May Be Tiggering For Survivors Of Abuse So Read Carefully* |
| Physical abuse is any injury which occurs after a non-accidental trauma. In other words any harm which is caused intentionally. Examples of physical abuse include - hitting with an object, pulling hair, kicking, burning, scalding, suffocating, shaking, punching and threatening or attacking with weapons. The resulting physical injuries can range hugely depending on the seriousness of the abuse. Injuries received can include - bruises, burns, cuts and abrasions, skeletal injuries, such as broken bones and dislocations, head injuries and internal injuries. |
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| What Is Sexual Abuse? |
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| Sexual abuse is any misuse of a child for the sexual pleasure or gratification of another. Sexual abuse can take place within the family, by a parent, step-parent, sibling or other relative such as an uncle or grandparent; or outside the home, by a friend, neighbour, child care person, teacher or a stranger. There are different types of sexual abuse - Non-touching sexual abuse could include - indecent exposure, exposing a child to pornographic material, exposing a child to the act of sexual intercourse and masturbation in front of a child. Touching sexual abuse could include - fondling a child's genitals, making a child touch an adults genitals, masturbation, oral-genital contact, digital penetration and vaginal and anal intercourse. Sexual exploitation could include - engaging a child for the purposes of prostitution and using a child to film, photograph or model pornography. |
| What Is Emotional Abuse? |
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| Emotional abuse is often defined as the systematic tearing down of another human being. It is a very difficult type of abuse to define but can include some of these behaviours - Criticising, blaming or putting a child down a lot; expecting too much of them, at school or home; making them feel responsible for adults' problems; making them see violence, abuse or rows at home; shouting and swearing or saying horrible things to them; making them obey unrealistic or confusing rules; not showing them enough love and affection or not showing any interest in them; isolating them, by not allowing contact with friends or others or leaving them alone too much and not noticing and responding when a child is unhappy, upset, frightened or in difficulty. Emotional abuse doesn't always get recognised as much as sexual or physical abuse but it can be very harmful because it makes people feel completely worthless and destroys any sense of self. |
| What Is Neglect? |
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| There are two types of neglect - physical and emotional neglect. Physical neglect is when a child is not given enough of the basic things they need such as, food, warmth, a decent home and clothing. Starving a child, not looking after their health, not giving them clothes and leaving them on their own for long periods of time to look after themselves and perhaps other siblings, all are forms of physical neglect. Emotional neglect is very similar to some parts of emotional abuse. It is when a child is not shown enough love or affection and when needed psychological care is not given. |
| Please go onto the next page to read definitions of rape and domestic abuse |
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