Why is abuse bad?

Content/Trigger Warning: Please be advised that the article below might mention trauma-related topics that include types of abuse & violence that could be triggering.

Abuse is bad for many reasons.  It affects the person that is being abused and the abuser as well as the families of both people. There are both short-term and long-term consequences of abuse. 

Before someone can talk about the consequences of abuse, they must know what exactly abuse is and what to look for. Abuse is behavior that is used to intimidate, isolate, dominate or control another person. There could be a pattern of the abuser’s behavior, or it may be an isolated incident that is a crime of opportunity. Abusive behaviors could be actions, words, or neglect.  Abuse happens when someone uses their position of authority or control to mistreat, manipulate or control another person.  They could take advantage of the abused person for reasons that they consider their own benefit without regard for the hurt they cause to the person they are abusing.   Abuse can happen to anyone. It can be someone in the family, someone in a relationship, a spouse or former spouse, a child, a disabled person, or an older person.  The abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, or financial.  Abusers can also abuse someone in more than one manner. 

Aside from the physical harm that can come from abuse, sometimes leading to death or permanent damage to the person, mistreatment can also cause victims to feel isolation, fear, and distrust.  This can often lead to lifelong psychological issues that manifest as educational deficits, problems with low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and trouble having healthy relationships.  Most often, people who have been abused develop post-traumatic stress disorder, a very serious diagnosis that can cause the person to be unable to work, socialize, and in the most severe case, can lead to suicide.

In cases of abuse that involve children, there can often be more serious consequences outside of the long-term effects of the abuse.  In 2019, about 5.04 children died each day of abuse and neglect in the United States.  This statistic does not account for the deaths that may have been classified as other means of death or those that happen outside of the United States.  Abuse can have numerous negative consequences that can neither be anticipated nor expected. If you suspect abuse of an individual, you should immediately report it to your local authorities to be investigated further.