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Kara Amey
M/W 4pm- 5:20pm
10/5/2014

Emotional Abuse

Abuse can have many forms and can include anything from neglect to physical abuse.
Unlike physical abuse, emotional abuse is one form that is hard to identify and can have
damaging long term effects. Victims who are affected by emotional abuse will grow up
becoming future members of society shaping it either into a positive society or a negative one.
By understanding the damage emotional abuse can do to its victims, society may be able to better
its future and produce productive members.
Emotional abuse will often stem from a negative adult-child relationship. It includes
behaviors like humiliation, intimidation, threats, insults or constant monitoring. A negative
relationship may halt or destroy what capabilities a child has to manage their feelings and
behaviors. Emotional abuse can do just as much damage to self-confidence as physical assault
can on the body, both being just as dangerous to development (Besharov, 1990). Constant verbal
and mental abuse can disable a childs ability to resolve problems on their own and become
functioning adults just like that of physical abuse.
However, emotional abuse alone is one form of abuse that is most difficult to identify and
stop. Child protective services must have evidence that harm has been done to a child before they
can step in and remove the child from the situation. Unlike physical abuse, emotional abuse
doesnt result in bruises or neglect which can be very hard to diagnose. The victim needs to be
willing to come forward and often it helps to have someone who pays attention, ready to help.

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Professionals are realizing that emotional abuse is becoming an increasing problem as it may be
the root cause of all other forms of abuse (Iwaniec, 1997). This abuse is starting to gain a lot of
attention but due to the physical lack of evidence of abuse can make it frustrating to make laws
and procedures regarding this type of abuse and how to go about taking care of it.
Victims of this selected form of abuse can develop long term damage as they develop.
Damaging effects can be having a higher risk for individuals to develop major depression if they
were victims of childhood abuse (Sharpero, 2014). Evidence from studies completed have been
shown to link depression closer to emotional abuse than sexual or even physical abuse (Sharpero,
2014). These people have a hard time participating as functioning members of society. These are
the people who have to drink their problems away and cant make it to their jobs. It could be the
parents who are insecure with themselves that they feel they need to make their children feel
dumb, or the partner that always wonders when their partner will leave them. They could also
spread the cycle of abuse on those they love, especially those vulnerable like children.
Further, emotionally abused or neglected children have difficulties trying to cope with the
world, bringing them lifelong challenges. Children who have experienced emotional abuse
connect negative life experiences with their self-worth and will continue to do so into adulthood
(Sharpero, 2014). Children who are constantly shamed, terrorized or ignored can development
impairments in life. Often, they grow up thinking they are inadequate as a person because of a
few failures or negative life experiences. A person who cant be confident in life will struggle in
trying to better themselves and the lives of those around them.
Abuse doesnt discriminate against anyone and can be found in almost any living
situation. Parents or guardians are usually the ones emotional abusing children in most cases.

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More times than not the parents may have been emotionally abused themselves and did not
receive the help they needed to correct the behavior. Parents who were abandoned as children
may either be emotionally withdrawn from their children or may try to over compensate.
Parenting behaviors are often thought to come from generations of childhood abuse and are four
times more likely to abuse their children in the first year of the childs life (Okado and Azar,
2011). Stress can also be a trigger for emotional abuse in most cases as well but a background
with abuse is almost always a factor.
Although emotional abuse does not leave any physical signs, it does show damage
through other ways. Some children who fail to thrive were found to be lethargic, apprehensive,
withdrawn-looking, sad and miser- able, while others were destructive, aggressive, demanding,
overactive, unable to concentrate or to pursue any activity in a constructive and meaningful way.
(Iwaniec, 1997). As these children would grow older they would usually have issues with
insecurity, poor self-esteem, destructive behavior, alcohol or drug abuse, suicide and difficulty
forming relationships. A continued issue of emotional abuse is that when these children become
parents, they may continue the cycle with their own children. Present and future abuse victims
will not seek to better themselves or their situations as they wouldnt think they would be
deserving of anything positive or make successful changes in their society.
There are many victims of emotional abuse that never surface. They often
continue throughout life without any help and almost always start up the vicious cycle again with
someone they love. Emotional abuse is harmful because of the persistent pattern that erodes and
corrodes a child (Garbarino,1994). There needs to be more help regarding this issue as its so
difficult to diagnose and can damage societys progress. Emotional abuse needs to be taken more
seriously by society so the cycle can be stopped as the effects of emotional abuse do not provide

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any benefits and only set back its citizens. Society needs productive and self-confident members
in order to progress and it cannot do that if it is blocked by negative behaviors.

References
Okado, Yuko, and Sandra Azar. (2011)"The Impact Of Extreme Emotional Distance In
The Mother-Child Relationship On The Offspring's Future Risk Of Maltreatment
Perpetration." Journal Of Family Violence 26.6. 439-452. Academic Search Premier.
Web. 8 Oct. 2014.
Garbarino, J., & Garbarino. (1994). An Emotional Maltreatment of Children. Chicago,
Ill.: National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse.
Besharov, D. J. (1990). Recognizing child abuse: A Guide for the Concerned. New York:
The Free Press. Web. 18 Oct. 2014.
Shapero, Benjamin G., et al.(2014). "Stressful Life Events And Depression Symptoms:
The Effect Of Childhood Emotional Abuse On Stress Reactivity." Journal Of Clinical
Psychology 70.3: 209-223. Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.
Iwaniec, Dorota.(1997). "An Overview Of Emotional Maltreatment And Failure-ToThrive." Child Abuse Review 6.5: 370-388. Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 Oct.
2014.