Daniela Montejano

I.E.E
7/29/2014
English 1010

Abuse
Abuse, when will it stop? Abuse is happening every second every day, everywhere.
Whether itd be physical, emotional, or sexual its happening and it cant be ignored.
A victim of prolonged sexual abuse usually develops low self-esteem, a feeling of
worthlessness and an abnormal or distorted view of sex. The victim may become withdrawn and
mistrustful of adults, and can become suicidal. Some victims who have been sexually abused
have difficulty relating to others except on sexual terms. Some sexually abused victims become
child abusers or prostitutes, or have other serious problems when they reach adulthood.
("American academy of," 2010)
Since only a small percentage of acts of sexual violence are brought to the attention of the
authorities, it is impossible to compile accurate statistics. There are nevertheless statistical
estimates published by some official bodies. The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics estimated that
91% of United States rape victims were female and 9% were male, with 99% of the offenders
being male and 1% of the offenders being females. Several studies argue that male-male and
female-female prison rape are quite common and may be the least reported form of rape. ("Rape
by gender," 2012)
Some people abuse because they may be generally sexually attracted to other adults but
may sexually approach children when they are under a lot of stress, like losing a job or getting a
divorce or even sometimes they may be just attracted to children. Some people sexually abuse
children so that they can feel the power and control they don't feel in their relationships with
other adults or in their life. ("Stop," 2012) Some abusers learn to abuse from their parents,
receiving abuse, or watching others being abused. Thats when they start abusing others like
siblings or friends. Such people internalized a particular relationship dynamic, namely the
complementary roles of "abuser" and "victim". They know how it feels to be a helpless victim
from their childhood that they become abusive themselves. As they become adults, they simply
turn this relationship dynamic around and start acting out the "abuser" side of the relationship
dynamic they have learned. By becoming the abuser they feel powerful and in control that they
do not care for others mercy and hurting others in the process may only occur as a dim part of
their awareness. Abusive behavior can also result from mental health issues or disorders. For
example, someone with anger management issues, a diagnosis of intermittent explosive disorder,
or a drinking or drug problem may easily get out of control during arguments and verbally or
physically strike out at their partners and dependents. (Patricelli, Kathryn)
Other than sexual abuse there are other kinds of abuse that should be recognized. For
example, emotional abuse is the act of belittling, ignoring, corrupting, acting cruel, isolating,
rejecting, and scaring another person, which can lead to ultimately winning control over them. It
could come from a parent, spouse, co-worker, friend, classmate, or caregiver. Emotional abuse is
a form of brainwashing. An extreme example could be locking a child in a bathroom for hours as
a punishment. An example of abuse that subtly builds over time could be telling a spouse they
are ugly and useless repeatedly. Emotional abuse slowly eats away at a victim's self-confidence
until they feel they can no longer trust, not only anyone else, but possibly even themselves, as
they lose their sense of self-worth. It can sometimes be outwardly displayed in a persons
behavior or it can be something completely hidden, so emotional abuse is not always easy to spot
by the eyes of an outsider. ("Date hookup," 2012)
A person may be continually yelled at or humiliated when abused. They may be told they
will be hurt or killed, thus they constantly live in fear for their life. They may be teased or have
confusing inconsistencies in their life, like when an alcoholic parent or spouse comes home
happy one night and angry the next. They never know whom they will be dealing with. Any and
all of these events, among others, can create deep emotional scarring. Often, if treatment is not
provided, a person who has been abused as a child will continue the cycle as an adult with his or
her own family. ("Date hookup," 2012)
Being yelled at is often only the tip of the iceberg for a child who is consistently
emotionally abused. As children internalize emotionally what is done to them, their social
development is at risk. Their emotional as well as physical health may be affected. There are
many forms of emotional abuse and all can be equally detrimental to a child. Even when physical
abuse is a factor, the underlying problems will lie in the emotional abuse a child suffers.
Living through a period of physical, sexual, or severe emotional abuse can leave psychic
wounds that are harder to heal than almost any bodily injury. Whether the abuse was inflicted as
a child or an adult, survivors often struggle to move on and lead happy, peaceful lives. Therapy
is a proven aid in understanding, expressing, integrating, and letting go, of the pain and
confusion that may stem from abusive experiences. Intense, often negative feelings are not
uncommon, and survivors should understand that having difficulty coping with upsetting
memories, blocks to intimacy, anxiety, and other remnants of abuse is fairly typical, and can be
worked through, in time, with good therapy. ("Good therapy," 2007)
Across the nation there has been great progress in work to improve the health and well-
being of children. But the turbulent economy and the budget cutting that has come with it
threaten to derail efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect at a moment when it is needed most.
If the work that has done so much for children is to continue and to grow, it is important to show
that it yields benefits on many levels- for children, their families, and their communities.
("Prevent child abuse," 1995)



































Bibliography


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