Personal Essay: Categorical Abuse

You both are so prominent in my life and I could not be more thankful for that. This year has brought about a lot of challenges, while also many good times. Like, showing up to Disney at six in the morning after not sleeping the night before. Or finding out that I have a high chance of surgery, but you both were there through it all. Thank you for always loving me in the good and the bad times. “You taught me to do the right things. You’ve given me everything I will need to make it through this crazy thing called life. So don’t you worry about me. There’s no way you’ll ever lose me”; YOU’RE STUCK WITH ME, YOU TOO

It's stupendous to hear from her, and she always has something nice to say. Her help has impacted me so greatly, and what she has taught me still effects my writing today, and my writing in the future. Thanks to her, my confidence about my writing has

When I look back at my childhood I cannot picture it without you. You have helped shaped who I am today and for that I thank you. When I think of you i think about all the love that you have to give. I am so lucky to have you in my life and I will always cherish the memories that I have with you.

Institutional abuse involves failure of an organisation to provide appropriate and professional individual services to

This piece is written by Mark Colvin, a professor of Sociology in the Department of Justice Studies at Kent State University, as the introduction to the book “Descent into Madness” by Mike Rolland. On February 2nd & 3rd, 1980 one of the maximum security prisons in New Mexico experienced one of the most violent riots in the history of American Correctional System. This is often referred to as The New Mexico State Penitentiary Riot. The riot lasted for 36 hours, and in those 36 hours there were 33 deaths. There was one other inmate who dies a couple of months later due to the injuries incurred in that riot. It is estimated that about 200 inmates were severely injured or raped in the riot. It is no surprise

Instead, you were willing to help me when I would ask for help. I found this juster of yours so meaningful because you never laughed when I didn’t know how to spell certain words or have knowledge of the definition of words that I should have known since elementary. For example, when I didn't know what "excluded" or "irrelevant" meant and how to spell “suppose” or “library” and I’m talking about junior year in high school were there were many words I never understood or couldn't spell. However, you taught me the meaning of those words and how to spell them, from that day forward I focus on the way people talk and would listen to the vocabulary they would use. I came to the realization that I never had an understanding of the meaning of half the words people would use and half of the words adults used I could’t spell and define them. You taught me to pay careful attention to the words adults would speak and take those words I couldn't understand and defined them and use those words to better my essays. Although you still continue to get higher scores on your essays than me, because I'm still not college level as I’m suppose to be, but I am better than how I was in the past, with that being said I want to thank you for your

I miss the warmth of your embrace every night. You are always the perfect end, and the best part of every day. I wish I could spend all day under your blankets, but sadly I can not. No matter what season, you are always the perfect temperature and you always make sure that I get a good night’s rest. I do not know what else I could ask for. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I can not wait to see you tonight!

After seeing you off to college, you working a full time job, becoming a responsible independent young woman, I knew I did my job. After the birth of your first child, I was so proud to be called a grandmother. Stayed up many of nights watching them which you study. You never gave up hope, never stop dreaming even after having two kids. I can say, your kids made you stronger. When you walked into my room to tell me you just bought a new house and that you were moving out. I was so excited! We shop for furniture and accessories for the home. Glad the kids will now have their own room, Wow! It was

Feiring, Simon, and Cleland (2009) concluded that stigmatization rather than abuse severity is a predictive of sexual dysfunction for this population. Stigmatization refers to “shame and a self-blaming attributional style” (p.128). Shame involves a wish to hide the damaged self certain others. Being exposed for survivors would be experienced as a social taboo. Self-blame refers to a perception that some parts of self were responsible for the abuse. Perpetuating of self-blame occurs through the secret survivors keep in a response to threats from their abuser and/or social and legal expectations. These challenging emotional experiences occur following the violation and last for years. Severity of abuse is associated with an increased stigmatization. Abuse specific stigmatization influences survivors’ perception and experience of non-abusive relationships and consensual sex. Stigmatization disrupts development of a healthy self-concept as a sexual being as well as intimate relationship with others (Feiring, Simon, & Cleland, 2009).

Thanks for being one of my best friends on the planet. You were there for me with a playful wag when I was upset or stoked. You were there through adolescent heartbreak, teenage angst, through that divorce, when I got my first guitar, my first car, first drums, first concerts, my braces, your operations in 2007 that cleared my bank accounts. You were there through car accidents and that short stint when I thought it was cool to dye my hair orange and blue. Remember my blue, plaid, punk-pants? You were a supporting role in all the home movies we made and listened to me when I tried to learn to sing and write my first songs.

No one ever considers who may have had an abusive past. Take for instants Kane Blacque, a successful and happy man from Edmonton, Canada. He is a loving husband with a wonderful job and a new puppy. However, few people realize that he suffered from child abuse from his own mother and multiple foster homes. Blacque’s mother mistreated her children so poorly that she had killed his baby sister. From that point on Blacque and his brother bounced from one foster home to the next. Blacque claims that he was abused emotionally, sexually, and physically at the various foster homes he lived in. He eventually ages out of the system, but that did not bring happy times. Blacque found his way into drugs, alcohol, prostitution, and he even tried to commit suicide multiple times. It took Blacque many years to find actual purpose in his life, but when he did he understood that the past made him into the person he is today. Blacque only brought up the painful memories of being abused as a child to Global News after a four-year old girl was abused to death in the care of a foster family. Blacque himself states that “social workers had noticed bruises on my arms, or burns-but nothing was ever done.” Blacque’s point is that the system he was in thirty-seven years ago, is still turning a blind eye to the abuse that is happening in foster homes. Very few people can make the slow recovery from abuse like Blacque could, however, many end up like the unfortunate four-year old. In

Thank you for allowing me to pass my drivers test and finally sit behind the wheel of an ultimate driving machine. Thank you for taking me to sports practice, clubs and events with friends during my high school years. Thank you for allowing me to load up the trunk and back seat full of supplies, clothes and books as I set off in pursuit of my bachelors degree. Thank you for being there to help

Father, thank you for helping me to be responsible. When I was young, you would always help me get my room organized. I appreciate that very much. Father, you would always understand my viewpoints on things. I remember when I told you that going outside is more fun than doing indoor things like drawing and I also remember you nodding your head. Father, you certainly showed that you respected my opinions. Dad, you would always give me reminders. I remember when you told me that I was annoying my sisters and that I needed to stop. Your reminders help me to stop annoying my sisters.

You are like my sunshine on my cloudy days. You warm me with your essence like rays from the sun on a cold dark rainy day. The sight of you grounds me from being blown away by the turbulence I endure on those stormy days. When the tornadoes come in to twist my soul to throw me off balance to take me to a place that haunts me. You are there to stop it all.

Although all therapists are aware of the childhood emotional abuse issue, it is possible that only few therapists understand the scope of the issue. Emotional maltreatment is harder to detect than other forms of abuse because it is more subtle. When Child Protective Services (CPS) conduct family assessments, it is the hardest form of abuse to prove because parents are very open about the topic and emotional abuse does not leave any physical evidence behind. However, it certainly influences a child's self-esteem, promotes the feeling of guilt, insecurity, and creates the inability to form stable relationships during adulthood. Although some behavioral disorders are related to emotional abuse, it is not possible to predict it correctly