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Abuse
Abuse
abuse? How does one know if they are committing abuse or if they are being abused?
The abuse definition is actually quite simple. According to the Gale Encyclopaedia of
Medicine, the definition of abuse is the following1:
Abuse is defined as any action that intentionally harms or injures another person.
In short, someone who purposefully harms another in any way is committing abuse.
There are many kinds of abuse encountered by adults, including:
physical abuse
psychological abuse
rape
sexual assault
verbal abuse
elder abuse
financial abuse
spiritual abuse
emotional abuse
All forms of abuse are illegal in the United States and can be met with criminal
penalties. (Information on child abuse and types of child abuse, can be found here.)
Abuse is most commonly committed by a person the victim knows and, often, lives
with. When one partner abuses another, it’s known as intimate partner abuse. Abuse
within families is often known as domestic abuse or domestic violence
Meaning of Abuse
While the definition of abuse is simple, the meaning of abuse isn’t so clear. Yes, abuse
is when one person purposefully hurts another, but that is a common occurrence in life
and most of us are guilty of engaging in that from time to time. But what abuse really
means is control. When a truly abusive situation exists, it’s because one party is seeking
to control the other through abuse. And while this might be an explanation of abuse,
it’s certainly no excuse. One person has no right to exercise control over another
through abuse. Victims of abuse must know that the abuse is wrong and that the abuse
is never their fault. Every person has the right to live an abuse-free life.
To learn more about escaping an abusive situation, read this article on domestic abuse
help.
article references