What is Physical Abuse?
Physical abuse is any intentional act causing physical injury, trauma, bodily harm, or other physical suffering to an individual. Physical abuse can be caused by inflicting harm on another, refusing to assist when harm is being done to somebody, or withholding basic needs. Physical abuse often starts gradually, and can become progressively worse over time.
It is important to remember that an individual's violent behaviour is never your responsibility. Physical abuse is never okay or justifiable, and whatever an individual may say, thei rviolence is never acceptable.
Physical abuse is a type of abuse that can be visible or discrete, and can take place in a variety of ways that include, but are not limited to:
- Physical harm
- Pushing, shoving, hitting, slapping, or kicking
- Strangling or choking
- Stabbing, cutting, or shooting
- Throwing objects at someone
- Use of weapons against someone
- Killing someone
- Restraint
- Being held down for someone else to assault
- Being locked in a room or being tied down
- Not being allowed to leave a situation through physical force
- Physical Neglect
- Being denied medical help when ill, injured, or pregnant
- Being abandoned in a dangerous situation
Short term effects of physical abuse are typically visibly obvious and are treatable by an emergency room doctor or another healthcare physician. These can include:
- Cuts, bruises, bite marks, and scarring
- Burns or scalds
- Broken or fractured bones, or evidence of old fractures
- Breathing problems from drowning, suffocation, or poisoning
- The effects of poisoning such as vomiting, dizziness, and seizures
Long term effects of physical abuse can be caused by repeated abuse over a long period of time, and can affect the person who has experienced the abuse as they grow older. These can include:
- Arthritis
- Chronic pain syndromes
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Sexually transmitted infections (in the cases where sexual abuse was part of the physical abuse)
- Heart disease
- Depression
- Substance abuse
- Suicidal behaviour or self-mutilation
- Panic disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Personality disorders
Short-term effects on an individuals emotions due to physical abuse can include a range of emotions immediately following the abuse. There is no right or wrong way to experience emotions directly following physical abuse, however some common effects include:
- Intense emotions of anger, sadness, fear, or guilt
- Inability to properly feel emotions
Long-term effects on an individual emotions due to physical abuse can range depending on personal attributes, how long the abuse has been going on, and the relationship the individual has with the one who has inflicted the abuse. Many of the long-term effects are similar to the psychological effects of physical abuse; some of the long-term emotional effects that ar eseparate from the psychological effects can include:
- Inability to properly express emotions
- Feeling extremely heightened emotions
- Emotional disconnect or apathy