Abuse includes any damage done to a child, which is not reasonably explained and is shown by an injury or series of injuries that do not seem accidental. One or both parents abuse the majority of child victims.

Neglect - Failure to provide for a child's physical needs. This includes children who are not properly supervised, housed or sheltered; children who do not receive enough food or clothing; as well as children who do not have proper health care, hygiene or who are abandoned

The Mental Abuser uses “mind games”. He/she is very clever at twisting things around to blame you, the victim, for everything that goes wrong. People who abuse others mentally are wickedly suspicious and jealous. They need to be “in control” of you, of your mind, body and spirit. That’s why they always have “to be right” all the time, never, ever giving you credit for having a working brain in your head.

Emotional abuse - Any behavior interfering with a child's mental health or social development. This includes yelling, screaming, name-calling, embarrassing, making negative comparisons to others, or degrading the child. This also includes any lack of affection and support necessary for the development of a child's emotional, social, physical and intellectual well-being (ignoring the child, not being affectionate or expressing positive emotions, lack of attention, lack of praise). The EMOTIONAL ABUSER is like a clone of the verbal abuser, but much more quiet about it. He/she doesn’t scream or swear at you but, instead, criticizes everything you do. He/she often makes cutting little comments about how stupid or incapable you are. Emotional abusers never take what you say or do seriously, rarely listen, and show no respect for you. They make you feel that they “know it all” and you “know nothing”.

The Verbal Abuser is more than just a loud mouth. He/she is a TALK DICTATOR. …yelling, swearing, “dissing”, and always interrupting when you try to get a word in. Worst of all, this kind of abuser uses his mouth to “put you down”. By ridiculing, embarrassing and threatening you, both in front of other people and when you’re alone, the verbal abuser makes you feel much smaller and weaker than you really are.