Browsing: physical abuse

Facts and statistics on physical abuse include alarming numbers about who is being physically abused and how severely. The picture painted by statistics on physical abuse show that this is a national epidemic with societal implications all the way from the birth of children born to battered mothers through to end-of-life elder abuse.¹

Physical and emotional abuse go hand-in-hand in many relationships. In fact, it’s rare to find physical abuse without the presence of emotional abuse (aka mental abuse). Often, when the physical abuser cannot physically abuse the victim, such as in public, they can emotionally abuse him or her.

People who are being physically abused often feel trapped and like there is no help available for them, but this isn’t true. There are many resources available for physical abuse help. Whether the physical abuse has just started or whether it has escalated into a life-threatening situation, there are services available to help those being physically abused.

The effects of physical abuse can be both acute and far-reaching. The immediate effect of physical abuse may be a bruise or a cut, but the long-term effect may be drastic – like posttraumatic stress disorder. Moreover, the effects of physical abuse can be felt by loved ones and, especially, children of both the victim and abuser. The psychological effects of physical abuse should not be underestimated.

Typically, there are signs of physical abuse both within and outside the relationship in which it occurs. However, spotting the signs of physical abuse may not always be easy and sometimes people choose to overlook them as they don’t wish to believe that physical abuse is taking place. There are typically physical, behavioral and emotional signs of physical abuse. Behaviors are seen both in the abuser and in the victim.

The definition of physical abuse, according to the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, is: “Non-accidental use of force that results in bodily injury, pain, or impairment. This includes, but is not limited to, being slapped, burned, cut, bruised or improperly physically restrained.”¹ Physical abuse is not limited to children and can happen to adults of any age. Neglect is also considered an aspect of physical abuse and this type of abuse often happens when one adult cares for another; such as in the case of an adult child caring for a parent.

Healing from child physical abuse involves much more than merely treating the physical wounds and injuries resulting from physical abuse. Recovery and healing require that the child receive treatment for the multitude of emotional and behavioral issues that arise in the physically abused child. Therapists and other mental health professionals will help the child learn to cope with pain and fear caused by the abusive adults in their lives – adults who should be trusted authority figures.

The effects of child physical abuse may last a lifetime and can include brain damage and hearing and vision loss, resulting in disability. Even less severe injuries can lead to the abused child developing severe emotional, behavioral, or learning problems. Injuries to a child’s growing brain can result in cognitive delays and severe emotional issues – problems that could adversely affect his or her quality of life forever.

Signs of physical child abuse are easier to spot than other types of abuse, such as neglect or emotional abuse. In order to help an abused child, you’ve got to know how to recognize the signs. Just as the presence of one of the signs associated with diabetes doesn’t mean the person actually has the disease, the presence of one sign of physical child abuse doesn’t necessarily mean a child is suffering abuse. But – noticing just one sign of child abuse may hint that a closer look is in order.

Learn about the major types of child abuse and what constitutes physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect of a child.