Title: Types of Abuse

Q: Physical abuse
A: Non-accidental injury or physical harm to a person that may be identified by bruises, welts, multiple injuries (old and new), or wearing concealing clothing.

Q: Neglect
A: Failing to provide the basic physical and emotional necessities of life which may be identified by poor self-care, lack of food, clothing, supervision, shelter, education or medical care.

Q: Emotional (psychological) abuse
A: Behaviour which can destroy the confidence and self-esteem of a person, which may be identified by self-harm, low self-esteem, extreme risk-taking behaviour or constant criticism by a caregiver. It can also include the extreme misuse of power as a spiritual leader.

Q: Bullying
A: Repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed towards someone that aims to victimise, humiliate, undermine or threaten the person and creates a risk to their health and safety. It may be identified by frequent mood swings, damaged belongings, exclusion from peer friendship groups, or a person being the target of teasing or ridicule.

Q: Financial abuse
A: Unauthorised control of another person’s money, including denying a person reasonable access to money.

Q: Family and domestic violence
A: Behaviour that is violent, threatening, coercive or controlling, or intended to cause household members to be fearful. It may be identified by physical injuries, anxiety, depression, social isolation or homelessness.

Q: Sexual abuse
A: Child sexual abuse is behaviour that uses a child for a person’s sexual stimulation or gratification. This can include grooming, exposure to pornography, explicit sexual conversation, voyeurism or inappropriate touching.

Adult sexual abuse includes the sexual assault, sexual exploitation or sexual harassment of an adult.
For more details refer to the, key terms in Faithfulness in Service.

This abuse may be identified by self-harming, risk-taking behaviour or poor self-esteem. In the case of children, it may also be identified by inappropriate knowledge of sexual acts or unexplained gifts to a child.