Types of Abusive Behavior Physical Abuse Psychological Abuse

Types of Abusive Behavior • Physical Abuse • Psychological Abuse – Emotional – Verbal • Sexual Abuse

Physical (Straus & Gelles, 1990) • Examples: – using objects or one’s body to hit, kick, push, bite, shoot, stab, or strangle another person •

Psychological (Verbal) • • Includes: – name calling, derogatory slang terms (e. g. , “bitch”), criticizing, swearing • Goal is (intent: direct & immediate harm)

Psychological (Emotional) • Verbal/nonverbal, • • Includes communication or behaviors directed at victim, beloved objects, or third parties (e. g. , pets or children): – – – Humiliation Degradation withdrawal or silent treatment contingent expressions of love or affection vague or specific threats of destruction, violence, and/or death social isolation & intention to weaken support systems induced debility (e. g. , limiting food or sleep) forced substance abuse Financial control relational obsessiveness or possessiveness controlling perceptions of reality, such as crazy making behaviors • Goal –

Sexual • (physical contact) or (sexual harm) (Wiehe, 1998) • Contact sexual abuse • Non-contact sexual abuse • Typically studied separately…

Violence vs. Abuse • • VIOLENCE • ABUSE

Locations for Violence • Couple violence – Heterosexual (M to W, W to M*) – Homosexual • Family violence – Adolescent-to-parent abuse* – Sibling violence* – Child abuse – Senior-abuse

Historically… 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Child Victimization Wife Abuse Courtship Violence & Date Rape Elder Abuse Adolescent-to-parent abuse Husband abuse

• • • Today… Intimate Partner Violence – 8. 5 million cases (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000) • 5. 3 female victims • 3. 2 male victims Child Abuse – In one year (2007), 794, 000 victims of abuse/neglect (Child Maltreatment, 2007) • 59% neglect • 10. 8% physically • 7. 6% sexually • 4. 2% emotionally/psychologically • < 1% medically neglected • 13. 1% of all child victims - "other" types maltreatment (e. g. , abandonment, threats of harm, congenital drug addiction) Adolescent-to-Parent Abuse – 18% of population (severe physical at least once/year) (Straus, Gelles, Steinmetz, 1980) – Goes up to 29% for one-parent families Sibling Abuse – Most prevalent form (Straus & Gelles, 1988) • 800 out of 1000 hit bro or sis • More than ½ engage in severe violence • Two-thirds (66. 6%) ages 15 -17 assault sibling at least once Elder Abuse (NCEA, 2005) – 1 - 2 million Americans (age 65 or older) – by “protectors” – 2% to 10% of population