Different Types of Abuse: How to Recognise Them and Where to Get Help.

Megon Champion
Nov 19, 2024
13 min read

Updated: Nov 20, 2024

If you are being abused or you suspect someone you know is being abused, click here first!

Coloured thumb tacks spelling out the words abuse

Recognising abuse is often difficult. The best place to start is to see if there is a pattern of behaviour as this is usually an indicator of abuse. Understanding the different types and how to spot the signs can help safeguard yourself or a loved one in the future. This article is here to help you identify the types of abuse, however, if you notice any of these signs please reach out to a trained professional. Remember to always put your safety first no matter the situation, there are resources at the end of the article to help you in this regard.

Types of Abuse:

Physical Abuse.

One of the more commonly known types of abuse, this often happens in a relationship of trust (ie. between a parent and child or between partners.). Physical abuse can include any of the following:

Assault, hitting, slapping, kicking, hair-pulling, punching, pushing and biting.
Inappropriate or unlawful use of restraints.
Rough handling.
Physical punishments.
Involuntary isolation or confinement.
Misuse of Medication (ie. over-sedation.)
Making someone feel uncomfortable. (eg. Opening windows in the cold or removing blankets.)
Forcible feeding or withholding food.
Restricting movement.
Burning or scalding.
Threats of the above.

The signs or indicators of physical abuse can include but are not limited to the following:

No explanation for injuries or inconsistency in the explanation of the injury.
Injuries are inconsistent with the person’s lifestyle.
Bruising, cuts, welts, burns, and/or marks on the body or loss of hair in clumps
Frequent falls or unexplained injuries.
Subdued or changed behaviour in the presence of a particular person.
Signs of malnutrition.

Failure to seek medical treatment or frequent changes of GP.

Domestic Abuse or Violence.

This type of abuse is defined as a pattern of behaviour used to gain power or maintain control in an intimate power relationship. Domestic abuse or violence includes a variety of different types of abuse including but not limited to:

Psychological (including coercive control).
Physical.
Sexual.
Financial.
Emotional.

A big part of domestic abuse is Coercive Control. Coercive Control is a pattern of behaviour designed to make someone feel isolated. This is done by isolating them from support systems, exploiting them, depriving them of independence, and regulating their everyday behaviour. Types of Coercive Control can include (but not limited to) the following:

Monitoring your time.
Monitoring you via online communication tools or spyware.
Taking control of things like what you can wear, eat, who you can see, etc.
Humiliating you or putting you down.
Controlling your finances.

The signs and indicators for domestic abuse will include the same as physical, sexual, financial, and emotional abuse as it includes these types of abuse. However, as it includes coercive control, here are some other indicators to look out for:

Not having access to a vehicle or transport.
Constant calls, texts, or tracking by their partner wanting to know where they are, what they are doing, and who they are with.
Asking permission to go anywhere or to meet and socialize with other people.
Their partner always accuses them of having affairs or cheating.
They have insufficient money available, do not have access to a credit card, and must account for every penny spent.

Sexual Abuse.

Sexual abuse is any action that forces, tricks or manipulates someone into sexual activities. It can also refer to behavior that impacts a person’s ability to control their sexual activity or the circumstances in which

sexual activity occurs. Some important things to remember about sexual abuse:

Not all sexual abuse is violent.
Most sexual abuse victims know their assailants.
Both men and women can be victims of sexual abuse.
Sexual abuse can occur between same-sex and opposite-sex partners.
Sexual abuse can occur between two people who have been sexual with each other before, including people who are married or dating.

Sexual abuse can include but is not limited to the following:

Rape, attempted rape or sexual assault.
Refusing to use condoms or restricting someone’s access to birth control.
Keeping someone from protecting themselves from sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Sexual contact with someone who is very drunk, drugged, unconscious, or otherwise unable to give a clear and informed “yes” or “no.”
Non- consensual masturbation of either or both persons.
Inappropriate looking, sexual teasing or innuendo, or sexual harassment.
Sexual photography or forced use of pornography or witnessing of sexual acts.
Indecent exposure.

The signs or indicators of sexual abuse can include but are not limited to the following:

Infections, unexplained genital discharge, or sexually transmitted diseases.
Bruising, particularly to the thighs, buttocks, upper arms, and marks on the neck.
The uncharacteristic use of explicit sexual language or significant changes in sexual behaviour or attitude.
Incontinence that is not related to any medical diagnosis.
Poor concentration, withdrawal, sleep disturbance.
Excessive fear/apprehension of, or withdrawal from, relationships.
Fear of receiving help with personal care.
Reluctance to be alone with a particular person.
Self-harming.
Difficulty in walking or sitting.

Psychological or Emotional Abuse.

This type of abuse is used to cause harm emotionally or mentally. It may not harm physically but can be just as painful and distressing. It can include but is not limited to the following:

Embarrassing you in public or front of family, friends, co-workers, etc.
Name-calling.
Threatening to harm you or something important to you. (ie. Pets, children, family members.)
Ignoring you.
They treat you badly for something you can't change (ie.., gender, health, religion, past, etc.)
Doing or saying something to make you feel confused. (ie. Moving or changing something and then denying it.)
Always correcting you to make you feel stupid. Even if they are just saying the same thing differently.
Gaslighting -Intentionally making you question your own memory and mental health. By withholding information and lying, gaslighters try to control a person’s thoughts, feelings, and actions to weaken a person’s confidence deliberately and gradually.
Bullying!!!! (This is often overlooked as a form of psychological abuse, especially amongst siblings, but can have long-term damage.)
Failure to respect privacy.

The signs or indicators of psychological and emotional abuse can include but are not limited to the following:

Going quiet when a certain person is present.
Low self-esteem.
A change of appetite, weight loss, or gain.
Signs of distress: tearfulness, anger.
Apparent false claims, by someone involved with the person, to attract unnecessary treatment.
Insomnia.
Withdrawal or change in the psychological state of the person.
Isolating a person from family, friends, and acquaintances.

Financial or Material Abuse.

This abuse is when someone has unauthorised or fraudulent access to funds and improperly uses the funds, property, or any resources of the person being abused. This abuse usually occurs with another type of abuse such as domestic violence etc. It can include but is not limited to the following:

Interfering with your credit score/history.
Feeling entitled to your money or assets.
Fraud, scamming, and theft.
Borrowing money and never paying it back.
Undue pressure, duress, threat, or undue influence (coercion) put on the person in connection with loans, wills, property, inheritance, or financial transactions.
Arranging less care than is needed to save money to maximise inheritance.
Arranging less care than is needed to save money to maximise inheritance.
Someone moving into a person’s home and living rent-free without agreement or under duress.
Misuse of a power of attorney, deputy, appointeeship, or other legal authority.

The signs or indicators of psychological and emotional abuse can include but are not limited to the following:

Inability to pay bills, even if there is someone to help with that.
Unexplained withdrawal of money from accounts. Or cash going missing.
Personal possessions going missing.
Contrast between known income and actual living conditions.
Unusual interest by friend/relative/neighbour in financial matters.
Pressure from next of kin for formal arrangements to be set up.
Receipts are not being provided for shopping or other services.
Power of attorney or lasting power of attorney (LPA) is obtained after the person has ceased to have mental capacity.
The person allocated to manage financial affairs is evasive or uncooperative.
A lack of clear financial accounts held by a care home or service.
A person begging a carer or partner for money for normal activities.

Modern Slavery.

Modern slavery is defined as when a person is exploited by others, either for personal or commercial gain. They lose their freedom by either being tricked, forced, or coerced into the work. Types of modern slavery include:

Human trafficking.
Forced labour.
Domestic servitude.
Sexual exploitation, such as escort work, prostitution, and pornography.
Sexual exploitation, such as escort work, prostitution, and pornography.
Descent based slavery.
Child slavery.
Forced and early marriage.

The signs or indicators of modern slavery can include but are not limited to the following:

Fear of law enforcement.
Appearing to be malnourished, unkempt, or withdrawn.
Living in dirty, cramped, or overcrowded accommodation and or living and working at the same address.
Always wearing the same clothes.
Signs of physical or emotional abuse.
Isolation from the community, seeming under the control or influence of others.
Avoidance of eye contact, appearing frightened or hesitant to talk to strangers.

Discriminatory Abuse.

Discriminatory abuse is when someone is treated unequally because something about them is different. This can arise from exploiting a person's vulnerability in a way that excludes them from opportunities they should have as equal citizens. This type of abuse can also be considered a hate crime. Types of discriminatory abuse can include but are not limited to the following:

Unequal treatment due to race, gender, religion, age, sexuality or disability.
Verbal abuse, derogatory remarks, or inappropriate use of language related to a protected characteristic.
Denial of basic human and civil rights ie.. allowing people to follow their own spiritual or cultural beliefs or choice about their own sexuality.
Lack of disabled access.
Denying access to communication aids, not allowing access to an interpreter, signer, or lip-reader.
Denying basic rights to healthcare, education, employment, and criminal justice relating to a protected characteristic.
Harassment or deliberate exclusion on the grounds of a protected characteristic.

The signs or indicators of modern slavery can include but are not limited to the following:

Substandard service provision relating to a protected characteristic.
The support on offer does not take account of the person’s individual needs in terms of a protected characteristic.
The person appears withdrawn and isolated.
Expressions of anger, frustration, fear, or anxiety.

Organisational or Institutional Abuse.

Organisational or institutional abuse is where poor working practices and inadequate care leads to the mistreatment and/or harm of adults or children at risk. This can occur where staff:

Inadequately trained.
Poorly supervised.
Not supported by management.
Have poor communication skills.
Part of a ‘closed’ culture.
Professional involvement is discouraged.

Oraganisatinal abuse can occur at the following institutes:

Care Homes.
Hospitals, clinics, surgeries, and therapeutic centres.
Schools, nurseries, colleges.
Children’s homes.
Emergency children’s placements.
Foster homes.
Religious organisations and communities.
Youth sport, Scouts, Guides, and Cadets.
Out-of-school activities such as drama clubs or youth groups.
Prisons.

Types of organisational or institutional abuse can include but are not limited to the following:

Rundown or overcrowded establishment.
Failure to respect or support a person or group’s right to independence, dignity, or choice.
Lack of person-centred care planning or a ritualised care routine.
No flexibility in bedtimes or getting up or deliberately waking someone up.
Inappropriate confinement, restraint, or restriction.
Lack of personal clothing or possessions.
Stark living areas, deprived environment, or lack of stimulation
Lack of choice in decoration or other aspects of the environment.
Lack of choice in food or menus or menu planning.
Unnecessary involvement in personal finances by staff or management.
Inappropriate use of nursing or medical procedures, ie. using unprescribed medication, enemas, or catheterization.
Inappropriate use of power or control.

The signs or indicators of organisational or institutional abuse can include but are not limited to the following:

Unsafe or unhygienic environment.
Poor record-keeping and missing documents.
Lack of staff training, poor moving and handling practices.
Absence of visitors.
Few social, recreational, and educational activities.
Public discussion of personal matters.
Unnecessary exposure during bathing or using the toilet.
Absence of individual care plans.
Lack of management overview and support.

Religious Abuse.

Religious abuse is also known as spiritual abuse. This type of abuse is an attempt to exert control using religion, faith, or spirituality. Religious abuse can occur within an organisation or a personal relationship. Spiritual abuse is not limited to one religion, denomination, or group of people. It can be an element of different types of abuse such as child abuse, sexual abuse and/or domestic abuse. Types of religious abuse can include but are not limited to the following:

Use scripture to humiliate or embarrass.
Use guilt and shame to control.
Use of leadership power to commit financial, emotional, sexual, or physical abuse - a priest or leader uses their power to coerce you into doing something you do not want to do but feel you have to because of faith obligations.
Repression of critical thinking.
Strict gender roles.
Fear-based teaching.
Excommunication and shunning.

Religious abuse at home can look different from above so the types of abuse can look like the following:

Shaming or making fun of your religious beliefs or practices.
Prevention of practicing your religion.
Using your belief or religion to manipulate or bully.
Demand that children be raised with/without a certain religion.
Using religious texts or beliefs to justify other types of abuse.

The signs or indicators of religious abuse can include but are not limited to the following:

Manifestation of other mental illnesses, such as anxiety disorder, depression, or eating disorders.
Compulsive perfectionism.
Self-hatred, low self-esteem, or compromised self-worth.
Faith crisis or becoming disillusioned with spirituality.
Hypervigilance.
Constant feelings of shame or guilt.
A distinct lack of boundaries between personal life and religious communities.
Sexual health and sexual dysfunction, either through making sex or thoughts of sex taboo or through lack of education about healthy sexual practices.

How to recognise that a religious institution may be an unhealthy environment:

Focuses on personal or financial sacrifice to maintain good standing with God or the church.
Compromises a person’s sense of personal identity or causes an individual to feel shameful about their identity, especially among members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Has strict, authoritarian, and absolute rules.
Focuses on punishment, damnation, guilt, shame, and other negative beliefs about oneself.
Causes an individual to feel belittled, or as if their worth is less than that of the culture of the church.
Exhibits signs of religious indoctrination.
Cultivates a culture of punishment and external forgiveness rather than personal development or personal spiritual exploration.

Neglect or Acts of Omission.

Neglect or acts of omission is the mistreatment and/or harm of an individual due to a lack of personal interest in the individual. Similar to organisational or institutional abuse this type of abuse often occurs in a care setting. Types of neglect or acts of omission can include but are not limited to the following:

Not taking account of individuals’ cultural, religious, or ethnic needs.
Not taking account of educational, social, and recreational needs.
Ignoring or isolating the person.
Preventing the person from making their own decisions.
Preventing access to glasses, hearing aids, dentures, etc.
Failure to ensure privacy and dignity.
Failure to provide or allow access to food, shelter, clothing, heating, stimulation and activity, personal or medical care.
Providing care in a way that the person dislikes.
Failure to administer medication as prescribed.
Refusal of access to visitors.

The signs or indicators of neglect or acts of omission can include but are not limited to the following:

Malnutrition or unexplained weight loss.
Untreated injuries and medical problems.
Inconsistent or reluctant contact with medical and social care organisations.
Poor environment – dirty or unhygienic.
Poor physical condition and/or personal hygiene.
Pressure sores or ulcers.
Accumulation of untaken medication.
Uncharacteristic failure to engage in social interaction.
Inappropriate or inadequate clothing.

Self-neglect.

Self-neglect is when a vulnerable adult but mentally competent adult lives in a way that puts their health, well-being, or safety at risk. Types of self-neglect can include but are not limited to:

Inability or unwillingness to manage one’s personal affairs.
Inability to avoid self-harm.
Lack of self-care to the extent that it threatens personal health and safety.
Neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health, or surroundings.
Failure to seek help or access services to meet health and social care needs.

The signs or indicators of self-neglect can include but are not limited to the following:

Very poor personal hygiene.
Unkempt appearance.
Lack of essential food, clothing, or shelter.
Malnutrition and/or dehydration.
Living in squalid or unsanitary conditions.
Neglecting household maintenance.
Hoarding.
Collecting a large number of animals in inappropriate conditions.
Non-compliance with health or care services.
Inability or unwillingness to take medication or treat illness or injury.
Unexpected or unexplained worsening of health or living conditions.
Spending too much time alone or isolated from former activities.

Covert vs Overt Abuse.

A lot of the signs and indications of the abuse we have talked about in the above article are known as overt abuse. Overt behaviours are obvious and hard to miss. But what happens when the abuse is done in a way that is that is under the radar. This type of abuse is known as covert abuse. Covert abuse is subtle, confusing, and confusing tactics used by the abuser to mask abuse as concern, hurt or misuderstanding. The abuser will often act one way in private and another way in private. Types of covert abuse can include but not limited to:

Weaponised joking - when the abuser says something mean and then brushes it aside as “just a joke”.
Lying with the a sense of satisfaction for the abuser to confuse their partner.
Forced isolation.
Gaslighting.
Undermining contribution.
Withholding contribution.
Exploiting power dynamics.
Emotional Manipulation.

The signs and indicators of covert abuse will be very difficult to spot as that is the point of this abuse, to keep it secret. The person may be withdrawn but other overt signs will be missing. The best thing you can do as a support sysem is listen to the victim and trust what they are saying and help where you can. Some ways you can help are:

Listen without judgement.
Do not demonise the abuser.
Encourage that they get professional help.
Respect autonomy.
Help develop a safety plan.
Provide resources.
Be a consistent source of support.

Conclusion

This article may seem overwhelming but it is here as a resource that you can refer to with assistance from your care team. Knowing the signs and indications of the different types of abuse helps with the safeguarding of yourself and your loved ones. As stated in the opening of the article, no matter what, always put your safety first - if you suspect that you or someone you love is being abused please make use of the emergency contacts below.