The 4 differences between abuse and mistreatment

Even today it is relatively common that we hear on the news cases of mistreatment and gender-based violence or partner, abuse of minors or different types of aggression to some type of individual.

Terms such as abuse and mistreatment often appear, which are generally used synonymously. However, these two concepts, although they are effectively related, do not imply exactly the same thing.

In this article we intend to establish some of the main differences between abuse and mistreatment.

• Related article: "Profile of the psychological abuser: 21 traits in common"

Defining both concepts

To understand the possible differences between the terms maltreatment and abuse, it is first necessary to understand what they correspond to or how they are defined.

Definition of abuse

We understand abuse as any act carried out by one person towards another in which violence is used or whose objective is to cause harm to the abused subject. The target of causing damage can be highly variable. It can be physical, mental, sexual, patrimonial ...

And not only is the performance of acts considered abuse, but also its omission as long as it causes harm to the abused. It is possible that in some cases the abuse is not voluntary (for example, you can ignore the needs of someone causing harm without necessarily having the intention of causing it). Although they can mediate power relations, it does not have to imply a situation of inequality between both parties that one of them takes advantage of, in which case it would be talking about abuse.

Definition of abuse

When it comes to abuse, when we use this word we are referring to the existence of an over-limitation with respect to something or someone, taking advantage of the subject who carries it out of a specific element, attribute or situation that it possesses or has been assigned to perform an act or achieve something that does not correspond to it.

It assumes the existence of an unequal relationship. In the interpersonal field, an abuse towards a person supposes the use or the cause of damages to this by some means, generally using some type of physical, psychological, sexual, socio-economic or vicarious.

Main differences between abuse and mistreatment

Although they are often used synonymously, the concepts of abuse and maltreatment have a number of differences that make them slightly different concepts. Here we explain some of the main differences between the two.

1. Specificity level

The term abuse includes, as we have seen, all that harmful act voluntarily caused to a person, being or property on the part of a subject. This would also include abuse as a type of mistreatment in which inequity mediates between abuser and mistreated.

2. Power ratio

One of the main differences between mistreatment and abuse is that although both terms refer to the presence of some type of violence or harm caused to someone or something, the concept of abuse includes the notion that there is an element that causes an unequal relationship between the two subjects.

The element in question can be highly variable, from aspects such as physical strength, age and experience, class or social position, position in the hierarchy of power or simply the ability to manipulate or coerce until the existence of an emotional link between both of them. The abusive party takes advantage of this inequality to harm the abused party.

3. Intentionality

In general, both in situations of mistreatment and abuse, we can find that the aggressor intends to harm the aggressed party. However, there are some types of abuse in which this is not necessary, such as for example ignorance of the needs of the affected party (as occurs with some animal abuse) or by carelessness.

Although sometimes it is possible that someone is abusing without knowing it (for example that due to his power another person does something for him even if it was not the intention of the subject to take advantage of his position), it is much more common for abuse to be completely conscious and voluntary.

4. Usual use of the term

Often when we talk about abuse, the first thing we think about is the existence of sexual violence. This is due to the fact that in order to perpetrate this type of mistreatment, the abuser uses his or her greater physical strength, age, power, ability to benefit him and at the expense of the other. existence of an affective bond, of emotions such as fear or fear or simply of surprise to manage to dominate the affected party and achieve the act. Examples of this can be found in cases of rape, sexual harassment or child sexual abuse. It is also frequently used to speak of abuse of authority.

On the other hand, when talking about mistreatment or mistreatment, reference is usually made to the existence of physical and psychological violence, in which there are beatings, insults and humiliations.

Despite this, it must be borne in mind that at this point we are talking about the habitual use that is given to the terms, while abuse is still a type of abuse.