MENTAL HEALTH

Bullying & Abuse

When somebody does something to control, bully or hurt someone else: it is called abuse.  Abuse can take many forms such as physical, sexual, emotional and verbal abuse.

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• Physical Abuse is control by violence or threat of violence including hitting, biting, burning or shaking.

• Sexual Abuse is when someone forces another to do any sexual acts that they do not want to do or watch something sexual that they do not want to watch.

• Emotional Abuse is controlling another person through withdrawal of love, isolating them, becoming extremely jealous, constantly criticising another or threatening them.

• Verbal Abuse is putting a person down and undermining their confidence by using threats, insults, name calling or shouting.

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Bullying is the ongoing abuse of another person through physical, emotional or verbal means, often in the presence of others.  Nobody has the right to hurt you physically or emotionally even if they are in a position of authority or they say they love you.

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Always refuse to accept abuse and remember that secrecy is an abusers best weapon, so never keep it a secret, and remember help is always available.  The most important thing is to tell somebody you trust.