Abuse: What You Need to Know

What Is Abuse?

Abuse means treating another person with violence, cruelty, hate, harm, or force. Abuse is never OK. No matter who’s doing it or where it happens. And it is never the fault of the person who is being abused.

With the right help and support, people can get out of abusive situations. There are adults who will help them be safe and stop the abuse. There is therapy and caring support to help them heal the emotional hurt that abuse can cause.

What Are the Different Kinds of Abuse?

It is called physical abuse when someone does things like hit, beat, shove, shake, or choke a person. This can leave marks or bruises. Physical abuse includes hitting with an object like a belt. Or throwing an object at someone to injure them. Or pushing into a person’s space to threaten or make them feel unsafe.

It is called emotional abuse when someone uses harsh or cruel words or treats the person with scorn. This can tear people down, or make them doubt their worth. Some abusers act mean or possessive. Some use fear or threats to control a person. Some try to shame a person for who they are. Some target people because of their looks, race, or because they identify as LGBTQ+. They might harass, use hate speech, or threaten harm. Emotional abuse can happen in person or online.