Who must
report abuse?
Self-help books
on healing from
abuse
Hierarchy of
Needs
Guidelines for
helping a
survivor
About Abuse
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A general statement about abuse: Those who hold the least power
and resources in society are most often those who are abused (women,
children, disabled, elderly). Bear in mind that anyone can be abused, this
includes men and women, rich or poor, educated or illiterate, employed or
unemployed - abuse is no respecter of persons or boundaries, and can
occur at any time during a person’s life.
Childhood Abuse - follow this link is for information on neglect, physical
abuse, sexual abuse, or emotional abuse of children.
Abuses of Adults, Disabled or Elderly:
Emotional abuse (also referred to as psychological or verbal abuse).
When an individual is continually belittled, called names, threatened with
abandonment, rejected, isolated, denied emotional contact, intimidated,
and exposed to violence in the home. National Clearinghouse on Abuse in
Later Life.
Domestic Violence can involve hitting, pushing, whipping, biting,
punching, slapping, burning, etc., that may or may not cause visible injury.
Visible injuries include scratches, burns, bruising, welts, or cuts. Non-
visible or internal injuries consist of broken bones, fractures, internal
bleeding, etc. Domestic violence can include sexual assault and emotional
abuse. Domestic violence is perpetrated by intimate partners upon their
spouse, girl/boy friend, domestic partner, or cohabitating partner. This
does not include relationships between other family members, friends, or
acquaintances. Domestic violence that occurs when children are
present (whether they can see/hear it or not) is considered child
abuse in most states.
Stalking. Awareness of the probability of stalking by a perpetrator of
domestic violence is important. Stalking can happen during a marriage,
during separation, and after a divorce, and can go on for years. Stalking
can range from nuisance activity to death threats and death. Stalking can
escalate from nuisance activity to death threats and death. It is important
that stalking is not ignored. Keep a record of all activity of the stalker in
relation to the victim.
Disabled or Elderly abuse. The perpetrator of the elderly or disabled is
usually an adult in a caregiver position whether it be care facility staff or a
family member caregiver. Abuse of this population can involve neglect,
physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or financial abuse.
Physical abuse can involve hitting, pushing, whipping, biting, punching,
slapping, burning, etc., that may or may not cause visible injury. Visible
injuries include scratches, burns, bruising, welts, or cuts. Non-visible or
internal injuries consist of broken bones, fractures, internal bleeding, etc.
Physical abuse is part of the abuses perpetrated on Children and the
Elderly or Disabled, it is one of the attributes of Domestic Violence.
Sexual abuse. The sexual abuse perpetrator, whether male or female,
an adult or child, is usually but not always, older than the child victim by
five or more years. The perpetrator can force, trick, threaten, or coerce a
child into having any sexual contact including showing or producing
pornographic material, telling sexually explicit stories, inappropriate
touching, sexual intercourse (vaginal or anal), fondling, masturbation,
oral/genital contact, digital penetration, exposure, and voyeurism. Sexual
abuse of adults is considered rape, sexual assault, and sexual
harassment. Sexual abuse of the elderly is similar to that of children,
except that the perpetrator is usually an adult, and has some form of
power over the elderly or disabled victim. For additional information see
the links for Children, Domestic Violence, or Disabled/Elderly abuse.
Neglect/medical neglect. Not having one’s basic needs of food,
clothing, shelter, or medical/dental attention met; leaving a child alone
when too young; emotional needs of touching and talking are unmet. This
also applies to the elderly when they are feeble or infirm. See links to
Disabled or Elderly abuse and Childhood abuse. This is generally not
considered an abuse of adults who are between ages 18 and 65 years,
however, it may be considered a criminal offense within domestic violence
if the perpetrator actively prevents the victim from seeking medical
treatment.
and resources in society are most often those who are abused (women,
children, disabled, elderly). Bear in mind that anyone can be abused, this
includes men and women, rich or poor, educated or illiterate, employed or
unemployed - abuse is no respecter of persons or boundaries, and can
occur at any time during a person’s life.
Childhood Abuse - follow this link is for information on neglect, physical
abuse, sexual abuse, or emotional abuse of children.
Abuses of Adults, Disabled or Elderly:
Emotional abuse (also referred to as psychological or verbal abuse).
When an individual is continually belittled, called names, threatened with
abandonment, rejected, isolated, denied emotional contact, intimidated,
and exposed to violence in the home. National Clearinghouse on Abuse in
Later Life.
Domestic Violence can involve hitting, pushing, whipping, biting,
punching, slapping, burning, etc., that may or may not cause visible injury.
Visible injuries include scratches, burns, bruising, welts, or cuts. Non-
visible or internal injuries consist of broken bones, fractures, internal
bleeding, etc. Domestic violence can include sexual assault and emotional
abuse. Domestic violence is perpetrated by intimate partners upon their
spouse, girl/boy friend, domestic partner, or cohabitating partner. This
does not include relationships between other family members, friends, or
acquaintances. Domestic violence that occurs when children are
present (whether they can see/hear it or not) is considered child
abuse in most states.
Stalking. Awareness of the probability of stalking by a perpetrator of
domestic violence is important. Stalking can happen during a marriage,
during separation, and after a divorce, and can go on for years. Stalking
can range from nuisance activity to death threats and death. Stalking can
escalate from nuisance activity to death threats and death. It is important
that stalking is not ignored. Keep a record of all activity of the stalker in
relation to the victim.
Disabled or Elderly abuse. The perpetrator of the elderly or disabled is
usually an adult in a caregiver position whether it be care facility staff or a
family member caregiver. Abuse of this population can involve neglect,
physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or financial abuse.
Physical abuse can involve hitting, pushing, whipping, biting, punching,
slapping, burning, etc., that may or may not cause visible injury. Visible
injuries include scratches, burns, bruising, welts, or cuts. Non-visible or
internal injuries consist of broken bones, fractures, internal bleeding, etc.
Physical abuse is part of the abuses perpetrated on Children and the
Elderly or Disabled, it is one of the attributes of Domestic Violence.
Sexual abuse. The sexual abuse perpetrator, whether male or female,
an adult or child, is usually but not always, older than the child victim by
five or more years. The perpetrator can force, trick, threaten, or coerce a
child into having any sexual contact including showing or producing
pornographic material, telling sexually explicit stories, inappropriate
touching, sexual intercourse (vaginal or anal), fondling, masturbation,
oral/genital contact, digital penetration, exposure, and voyeurism. Sexual
abuse of adults is considered rape, sexual assault, and sexual
harassment. Sexual abuse of the elderly is similar to that of children,
except that the perpetrator is usually an adult, and has some form of
power over the elderly or disabled victim. For additional information see
the links for Children, Domestic Violence, or Disabled/Elderly abuse.
Neglect/medical neglect. Not having one’s basic needs of food,
clothing, shelter, or medical/dental attention met; leaving a child alone
when too young; emotional needs of touching and talking are unmet. This
also applies to the elderly when they are feeble or infirm. See links to
Disabled or Elderly abuse and Childhood abuse. This is generally not
considered an abuse of adults who are between ages 18 and 65 years,
however, it may be considered a criminal offense within domestic violence
if the perpetrator actively prevents the victim from seeking medical
treatment.
on each linked page.
Please note that neither the author, nor anyone affiliated with this website, will
bear any responsibility for anyone taking the information contained herein and
misusing it or attempting to claim it is professional advice. It is simply information,
how it is used is the responsibility of the reader.
bear any responsibility for anyone taking the information contained herein and
misusing it or attempting to claim it is professional advice. It is simply information,
how it is used is the responsibility of the reader.
| National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-784-2433 National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-422-4453 National Elder Abuse hotline: 1-800-922-1660 Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 TTY: 1-800-787-3224 National Center for Victims of Crime: 1-800-394-2255 TTY: 1-800-211-7996 |