Abuse can take many forms, including physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, and financial. It is important to recognize the signs of abuse and seek help immediately. Abusers rarely change without professional help, and victims should take steps to walk away from the situation.
Abuse has many faces. It can be overt or hidden, but it’s always painful. If you’re constantly being hurt physically, verbally, or emotionally, the first step to breaking free is recognizing the signs of abuse.
One type of abuse is verbal or emotional in nature. This type of abuse is stealthy and can be very difficult to identify. If you are subjected to constant personal criticism, repeated criticism, blame or name calling, you are likely to be the victim of verbal abuse. If you are subjected to threatening gestures, including reckless driving, destruction of property or verbal threats, you are the victim of abuse. Behavioral control and isolation are also common in a verbally or emotionally abusive situation.
You are the victim of abuse if you are subjected to unwanted physical contact. Physical abuse includes pushing, slapping, pinching, biting and kicking. Holding, spitting on, or using a weapon on another person is also considered physical abuse. You are being abused if you are subjected to any of these behaviors, even if you cannot see any scratches, cuts or bruises and no blood is drawn.
You are the victim of sexual abuse if you are subjected to unwanted sexual behavior or advances. Any form of rape is sexual abuse. You have the right to reject the sexual advances of anyone, including your spouse. If someone refuses to take no for an answer, they are sexually assaulting you. The use of threats or coercion, in the form of guilt or anger, to obtain sexual intercourse is also sexual abuse.
There need not be intercourse for sexual abuse to occur. Any type of unwanted sexual contact can be considered sexual abuse. Similarly, using sexual words to humiliate is sexual abuse. Furthermore, exposing a minor to inappropriate sexual information or images may be considered sexual abuse.
Another type of abuse is financial abuse. You are the victim of financial abuse if your money or property is used without your consent. You are the victim of abuse if your spouse or life partner prevents you from having access to family money or financial records. Poor management of finances, which leads to neglecting the needs of families, is also considered an abuse.
If you think you are being abused, seek help immediately. If you are being physically or sexually abused or threatened with violence, call the police immediately. For other types of abuse, contact an organization that helps victims of abuse end the abusive situation or relationship. Ask for help and support from family and friends. Above all, do everything you can to get away from the situation as quickly as possible.
Remember, abusers don’t stop or change without professional help. Sometimes, it takes years of therapy to bring about real change, and many abusers never fully stop their abusive behavior. To end the abusive relationship, you need to take steps to walk away from the situation right away.
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