Psychological violence...
Psychological violence is a quite recent problematic, very often under-assessed and trivialized. Rigorous upbringing having long been a part of our tradition (firmness, authority, lack of warm relationships), we tend to confuse the effects of psychological violence as a lack of character (be strong; don't cry; push, push, push!), rather than a form of actual suffering that can cause serious wounds affecting the child's development.
One reason for this situation is that the problem is difficult to identify and properly define. It is extremely complex to objectively differentiate (outside one's own value systems and personal judgments) when a rigorous upbringing is in play, as opposed to an abusive upbringing harmful to the child.
The American Professional Society on Abuse of Children (APSAC, 1995) has established a wide definition of psychological violence. It defines psychological violence as a repetition of inadequate behavior with results that cause the child to have low self-esteem, or feel useless, unappreciated, unloved, unwanted or threatened. In addition, psychological violence most often manifests as being deprived of affection, rejected, insulted, ridiculed, terrorized, isolated, exploited or abandoned repeatedly.
Psychological violence also has its share of both physical and emotional consequences.
Physically, indications are that victims may develop a decrease in appetite and even develop enuresis or encopresis, which most often leads to a still greater manifestation of rejection by their adult caretakers (some parents say in reference to this they believe the child is purposely attempting additional provocation).
Many emotional and psychological impacts are identified among psychological violence victims. It has been shown that young persons will start to lie, steal and develop a rationalization mode (thought distortion) that justifies such acts. Attribution and perception difficulties are also observed among victims.
Moreover, some children experience enormous stress and high anger. They develop anxiety or frustration management problems.
A strong feeling of inhibition is often present among these youths. They consequently feel powerless and destitute in their social interactions, which makes them fragile and vulnerable to other manifestations of rejection. Or they otherwise tend to develop a more impulsive relationship, where any allusion, criticism or judgment is immediately felt as a new manifestation of violence which automatically generates a defensive response most often manifesting as anger or even verbal (yelling, swearing), psychological (ridiculing, sarcastic remarks or harassment) or physical (throwing things, striking objects or persons) violence.
Moreover, studies show that young victims most often have low self-esteem and more difficulty becoming independent and responsible for themselves upon reaching adult age.
Victims therefore feel powerless and incompetent in their undertakings and have difficulty creating significant trusting relationships with their peers, especially in love relationships and with others generally.
Though this type of violence is silent, there has been observed in extreme cases a propensity toward isolation, depression, serious mental health problems, high consummation of alcohol and drugs, a tendency toward prostitution, suicide and even homicide.
Émilie Girouard, Bachelor of Psychoeducation
