Psychological Violence: Individual's Psychological Integrity

Schizah Razaq Tamara Warren Chinyani CST 110 4/2/18 Psychological Violence Psychological abuse exists in almost every part of this world even if not acknowledged. It is strange as well as interesting to note that people often experience it without even realizing they are being subjected to it. In some way, one tends to think it is just but a ‘normal’ part of social or emotional interaction with another. This poses a serious threat to our health, as it goes deeper than just what we assume. It’s very gradual, subtle, and much more dangerous than we all perceive it to be and, so we need to know how to recognize it and fight against it. According to the Council of Europe, psychological violence is defined as any kind of abuse that is intentionally meted out on another person, which results in a serious and complete compromise of that individual’s psychological integrity. Psychological violence often manifests itself in the form of continuous consistent exposure to threats or even coercion. It is characterized by a general display of abusive conduct both in and out of one’s domain. It is a serious form of violation of one’s rights, as it results in a negative impact in someone’s mental wiring, while also impacting how the individual establishes social networks. This has an overarching impact of inhibiting one’s personal, as well as socio-economic growth. Examples of psychological violence include; defamation, intimidation as well as the aforementioned use of threats. Psychological violence is nearly impossible to be recognized and can be easily overlooked so we all need to be aware of this violence to help our friends or family in case they needed it. When looked at from this perspective, it becomes clear that while it might seem to be so subtle and easy to ignore, psychological violence poses a serious threat to not only us, but also all those around us. I have been researching on this issue for nearly a year now and have come across some really eye-opening and unique information. This can probably go a long way in helping all of us here, to have a better insight into what actually is at stake when it comes to the topic of psychological violence. It can also help us come up with strategies that would in the long run help us to know how to discover, manage and also mitigate such a vice. Psychological violence is often manifested in the form of harassment. There are various forms of psychological violence, namely; moral, criminal and finally, racial harassment. As earlier noted, psychological violence occurs on a much hidden level and is often unrecognized. This in turn results in very half-hearted efforts to control and manage it. The problem is that while they go unrecognized, the impacts cut deep. It is what is commonly known as emotional wounds. These are the unseen wounds that cut deep into someone’s soul, shaking his or her very existence and taking too long to heal; sometimes, never healing at all. According to Sepulveres, wounds of the emotional abuse’s victim are veiled as such that even the wounded don’t realize the baggage they are carrying. The author also notes that it is usually not very easy to clearly know whether a loved one is going through psychological violence or abuse. It is in most cases, concealed. Considering the fact that psychological violence is in most cases concealed or subtle, it is important to now the very small ways in which it is also manifested. Any type of forced control and ill-treatment of a person also comes under psychological abuse (Judd 103). This is in agreement with earlier discussions on the various types of psychological violence. It is somehow distressing to note that most instances of psychological violence occur in developed societies ,thereby raising questions about how really civilized we are. Whether it is a result of statistical variations or not, the prevalence of the vice in our so-called civilized societies is quite alarming, as the number of cases reported annually is very high. It might be a pointer to the very fabric that holds our societies. The interpersonal relationships, especially between people of opposite genders. There is a significant number of psychological violence cases related to gender. Women especially, take the...