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Physical abuse is any act which results in deliberate physical injury or trauma, and is the most visible form of abuse. This may include punching, beating, kicking, biting, cutting, burning, throwing, shaking, strangling or suffocating the victim. Most of these leave visible marks. Bullying is an all too common form of physical abuse.
Anyone can be physically abused, but people who have been previously abused, are smaller/weaker, or have low self-esteem to begin with are more at risk. Girls and women are more vulnerable than boys and men.
Physical abuse is usually committed by someone the victim is close to or sees on a regular basis. This can be a parent, spouse, friend or colleague and sometimes even a child. Usually it is someone who is in charge of or has power over the victim and the abuse often represents unreasonable or unjustifiable, severe punishment. The perpetrator may inflict violence on the victim for a deed that may not have even been committed.
Physical abuse often has effects and these can last for several years if they do not get specialist help. Physical abuse can affect the way these people deal with different situations for the rest of their life, but the effects do NOT have to be negative. These can be overcome, but after someone has been physically abused it is very common for that person to be especially fearful of doing something wrong or punishment and to have low self-esteem.
Physical abuse is frequently accompanied by emotional abuse and the violence just reinforces the emotional aspect of the abuse, making it many times worse.
Physical abuse victims may find it extremely difficult and/or painful to talk about their experiences, but often this is the only way to deal with it.
If you are an physical abuse victim then the best thing to do is probably seek specialist help where you can talk about what happened and how you feel. It may seem impossible at first, but don’t give up because it gets easier and will help eventually.
If you have a friend/relative who is a physical abuse victim then give them space to talk about their experience and feelings, without pressurising them into talking. Then suggest that they seek specialist help.
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If you have, or have a friend/relative who has, been physically abused in any way, please feel free to email and share your story and feelings. I may want to use quotes from your email, so please state whether I have permission to use to your name. Thankyou!