Abuse is a grossly misunderstood and underestimated issue. Most people think of abuse or domestic abuse as specifically being a women’s issue or only being defined by physical violence. Likewise, most people only think of child abuse as physical violence being perpetrated by parents against their own children. In reality, abuse can take many shapes and forms.

For instance, domestic abuse can be physical, emotional, psychological, or even financial – and, while women 85%-90% of domestic abuse victims are women, men can be victims of different forms of abuse as well. Restricting an intimate partner’s ability to spend money on necessities, blame shifting, manipulation, coercing or forcing sex (even between married couples), and physical assault are all equal forms of abuse.

Similarly, child abuse is not always physical violence; abuse toward children can be emotional or psychological as well, which can lead to runaways and resulting sex trafficking, self-injury, depression, or suicide.

Additionally, many of the deaths attributed to child abuse also include forms of neglect that are not overt forms of violence, such as poor nutrition, lack of medical care, poor heating in winter or cooling in summer, improper dress for the elements, overexertion in sports or other activities, etc.

The Child Welfare Information Gateway has composed a book on domestic and child abuse that explores research on domestic violence and its impact and influence on children.