Emotional, Physical, and Sexual Abuse
Emotional,
Physical & Sexual Abuse
Abuse, whether emotional or physical, can happen in relationship we have in life. It can happen in your partnerships, with your parents, siblings, friendships, work dynamics, or even with your children. Approximately one out of every four women experience abuse within their partnerships, while about one in ten men experiencing it. These numbers, however, only reflect reported cases, implying that countless individuals suffer silently. We all know someone who endures abuse. Abuse leaves victims feeling isolated, burdened by shame, and trapped in a seemingly insurmountable struggles to make it stop.
– Bell Hooks
Many individuals commonly associate abuse with visible signs of physical harm, such as broken bones and bruises. Emotional abuse can be equally harmful, causing long-lasting damage. Unlike physical abuse, emotional abuse is challenging to define and comprehend, leading to a tendency in our culture to downplay this form of abuse and its consequences. Regardless of how it shows up, abuse is aimed at maintaining power and control over another person. This control can result in significant negative effects, including a diminished sense of self, reduced self-worth, and the erosion of self-respect and personal dignity.
– Aisha Mirza
Humiliation, insults, and criticism, such as name-calling, yelling, public embarrassment, public shaming, attempts to embarrass you, and insults disguised as “jokes”
Sarcasm and passive-aggressive statements, highlighting your mistakes and faults, shifting the blame back to you regardless of the situation, and putting down your interests or achievements
Isolating you from others, including monitoring where you are or who you are with, checking your phone or computer, or making you check-in if you leave the home
Giving orders or making unilateral decisions, unreasonable demands, refusing to be pleased with you no matter what you do, and placing you in no-win situations
“Gaslighting” or making you feel like you are crazy by denying what you know is true or minimizing your feelings
Being unpredictable or causing chaos, especially during moments of happiness for you or other family members
Threatening the status of your relationship, making threats of abandonment, or being jealous and accusing you of false infidelity or emotional affairs
Shutting down communication, withholding affection, giving you the silent treatment, or trying to get others to turn against you threatening to harm you, themselves, children, or pets, or breaking objects to instill fear and intimidation
Abuse can affect anyone regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, relationship status, socioeconomic status, or age. The shame that results from experiencing abuse and fear of judgment influences victims of abuse to keep the abuse to themselves.
Identifying and escaping abusive relationships can be extremely challenging due to abusers are not being consistently abusive and often possess positive characteristics that make them appealing and likable. Yet, these qualities are exhibited in an unpredictable manner, leaving the victim confused and inclined to blame themselves for the problem. The difficulty lies in accepting that a person who professes love is capable of causing harm. Various forms of abuse often coexist, including sexual, financial, religious, and physical and emotional neglect. Emotional abuse is consistently present in all abusive situations.
You are not alone and it’s not your fault. There are people who understand.
– unknown
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Authentic Living Therapy Receives 2023 Best of San Jose and 2022 Best of Los Gatos Award
SAN JOSE April 2023 - Authentic Living Therapy has been selected for the 2023 Best of San Jose Award in the Mental Health Service category, along with the 2023 Business Hall of Fame Award, as well as having received the 2022 Best of Los Gatos Award in the Mental Health Service category by the San Jose/Los Gatos Award Program.
Each year, the San Jose/Los Gatos Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the San Jose and Los Gatos area a great place to live, work and play.
SOURCE: San Jose/Los Gatos Award Program