Abstract

In this study we try to explore the concept of Mental Abuse in a holistic context. The main focus of the research is on prevention of mental abuse and coping strategies. Mental abuse us a systematic and permanent term process in which one or more offenders through various means abuse, belittle and hurt a victim. Mental abuse is recognized in society at large through various names which describe in greater or lesser degree depending on different contexts and criteria. The paper entails various prevention strategies that can help abused victim to sort their lives and come out of the threatening situation

Outline

Mental Abuse1

Perpetrators of mental abuse1

Victims of mental abuse1

Relationships1

Mental Abuse and its Effects2

Prevention and Interventions3

Conclusion5

Mental Abuse

Mental abuse, also known as emotional abuse is defined as a systematic and permanent term process in which one or more offenders through various means abuse, belittle and hurt a victim. This form of violence is the most difficult to recognize, as manifested both in isolation and in combination with other forms. Such kind of abuse is also related to situations of power imbalance relating to bullying, child abuse, abusive relationships or situation of workplace harassment (Salter, 499-508). Mental abuse sometimes follows a consistent pattern and chronic abuse can lead to significant distress.

Perpetrators of mental abuse

Bullying others, verbal threats, insults; excessive guilt, rejection and contempt people are methods that the abuser uses to maintain power and control over the victim. Emotional Abusers also try to keep the victim isolated from family, friends or co-workers in an effort to eliminate support systems (McEachern, 3-10).

Victims of mental abuse

Low self-esteem, unrealistic fear, anxiety, nightmares, sleep problems, mood swings and / or self-destructive behavior are characteristics that can be identified in victims who suffer mental abuse. Sometimes mental abuse can be difficult to recognize for victims until a consistent pattern is developed in the relationship with the abuser (Breckenridge, 314-327).

Relationships

Being involved in an abusive relationship is detrimental to both the aggressor and the victim. A cycle of emotional abuse continues until it peaks, then decreases in a stage of honeymoon in which the offender shows remorse and the victim forgives. This cycle keeps on repeating and becomes cumbersome of the victim (Geffner, 1).

Mental Abuse and its Effects

Mental abuse is recognized in society at large through various names which describe in greater or lesser degree depending on different contexts and criteria, some of them include mobbing, bullying or mobbing labor, property mobbing, verbal violence, psychological violence, bullying, harassment, moral or material damage, threats, etc. while some of the legal terms are sexual harassment, emotional blackmail, rape, psychological depression, induction of suicide, discrimination, extortion, machismo, sexism, racism, brainwash , speaking perverse psychological torture, psychological warfare, disinformation, information overload, demagoguery, manipulation of mass media, manipulation in communication, terrorism, etc (Salter, 499-508). It should also be noted that the presence or existence of the effects of emotional abuse is indicated mainly by the abusive situation that imposes onto the victim. Psychologically abusing someone is a way of exercising power over the victim to make ...