Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse is an issue faced by millions of people everyday, but recognized by few. It is important to understand that anyone can be a victim of emotional abuse, and there are many different ways that emotional abuse presents itself in relationships.​

Emotional abuse is the term for psychological manipulation and domination within a relationship, a power imbalance between the people in the relationship that causes distress and discomfort in one or both of the members.

The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) estimated that 1 in 11 adults aged 18 to 74 years experienced emotional abuse before the age of 16 years (3.8 million people); this includes perpetrators aged 16 years or over only.

The most commonly recognized form of emotional abuse is seen in romantic relationships, but it can also be seen in parent-child relationships, among co-workers, family members, among employers and employees, or any relationship. If you or anyone you know is experiencing emotional abuse, contact LADPP for mental health support, translating, or further resources. 
When experiencing emotional abuse, the victim may experience humiliation, manipulation, insults, gaslighting, disapproval from significant others, a diminishing self esteem, and a withdrawal from social life. If you notice these symptoms in yourself or anyone else, reach out to a trusted professional, local authorities, or LADPP as soon as possible. 
Other signs to look out for include: partners that seem to change personalities when they are around certain people (they will be very charming and lovely to a crowd of people but rude when one on one), partners that use personal details and confidential information to against the other person, those that are very cautious of their ‘space’ and often tell you not to intrude or overstep your bounds, those that are quick to compare situations in an unfavorable way, and those that place blame on others frequently and quickly.
Recognizing and acknowledging an abusive relationship can be difficult, but there are ways to get help and recover. It is important to know you are not alone and can 
If you or anyone you know is experiencing emotional abuse, it is important to get into contact with someone that can help as soon as possible. Contact information is listed below:
Solomente en español: ​
LAWRS: 0808 145 4909 [email protected] ​
LAWA: 020 7275 0321 [email protected] ​
​National Domestic Abuse help line freephone: 0808 2000 247 ​​
​Hestia: 0808 169 9975 [email protected] ​
Autoridad local: 999 (en emergencia)

By: Ella - Intern LADPP  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellawindel/ 

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