EMOTIONAL ABUSE

Emotional abuse, which is sometimes called psychological abuse, is a pattern of behavior that damages a child's sense of self worth and negatively impacts their emotional development. In addition to withholding love and support, the person emotionally abusing the child also may reject, criticize, threaten, demean, and berate the child. They also may humiliate the child, engage in name-calling, and insult them. Emotional abuse can occur in conjunction with physical abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect and is one the hardest forms of abuse to recognize. Often it is subtle and insidious slowly chipping away at the child's self-esteem.