An illustrated child sitting on the floor inside an open wardrobe coving their ears, with large, scribbled symbols in a speech bubble coming from a shadow of a face.

Understanding child emotional abuse

Words can harm - emotional abuse can be just as hurtful as physical abuse and the effects can last a lifetime.

What is emotional abuse?

Emotional abuse happens when a child is repeatedly made to feel worthless, unloved, alone or scared.

Also known as psychological or verbal abuse, it is the most common form of child abuse. It can include constant rejection, hostility, teasing, bullying, yelling, criticism and exposure to family violence. The impacts of emotional abuse are just as harmful as physical abuse.

Emotional abuse is particularly damaging to a child’s self-esteem and emotional wellbeing.

Types of emotional abuse

Typically, repeated incidents of abuse build up over time and cause lasting effects upon a child's development and wellbeing. However a single incident can cause serious harm as well.

Some examples of emotional abuse include:

Continually ignoring or rejecting a child
Physically or socially isolating a child
Forcing a child to do things by scaring them
Exposing a child to domestic violence
Constantly criticising, humiliating or blaming a child
Constantly swearing, yelling or screaming at a child
Making a child feel different from other family members
Telling a child that they’re worthless, unloved or not enough
Withholding love, support, praise or attention from a child
Bullying, teasing, insulting or belittling a child
Having unrealistic expectations or unreasonable demands of a child
Not allowing a child to explore, express themselves, learn or make friends
Treating a child badly because of things they can’t change (eg. disability, gender, sexuality)
Threatening abuse or threats to harm loved ones or pets

Possible signs of emotional abuse

Signs that a child might be experiencing emotional abuse can include:

Avoiding or running away from home
Low self-image, self-esteem and confidence
Delays in development or decline in school work
Often anxious, distressed or afraid of doing something wrong
Demanding, disruptive or secretive behaviour
Extremes of behaviour – very aggressive to very passive
Trying too hard to please or failure to connect with parents
Being withdrawn or having difficulty relating to others
Feels worthless, unloved or unwanted
Increased fear, guilt and self-blame
Lying, stealing or lack of trust in adults
Self-harming or suicidal thoughts
Drug and alcohol use

Impacts of emotional abuse

Children and young people may experience a range of emotional, psychological and physical problems as a result of being harmed, including:

Unhealthy coping strategies or habits (sucking, biting, rocking, self-harm)
Mental health disorders (anxiety, depression, phobias)
Inability to trust or difficulty forming relationships
Destructive, aggressive or anti-social behaviours
Drug and alcohol use
Developmental delays
Sleep or eating disorders
Difficulty expressing themselves
Learning or speech disorders
High-risk sexual behaviour
Behavioural problems or disorders
Difficulty regulating emotions
Physical disorders or health issues
Suicidal thoughts or attempts
Overly adaptive behaviours (eg. very compliant or defensive)
Low confidence, self-esteem or self-worth

Child protection is everyone’s business! Some adults have a legal obligation to notify authorities (these obligations differ between states and territories).

Who else can help?

If you have a reason to suspect a child is experiencing harm, or is at risk of experiencing harm, contact an authority in your State and talk to them about your concerns.