Term:
Abuse
Definition:

Mistreatment, whether physical, sexual, emotional, economic or in combination, that is reasonably likely to cause death or that causes or is reasonably likely to cause serious physical or psychological harm to a person, or significant loss to the person's property (The Protection for Persons in Care Act, 2009). As for violence, the definition used by the World Health Organization associates intentionality with the committing of the act itself, irrespective of the outcome it produces. Excluded from the definition are unintentional incidents – such as most road traffic injuries and burns. (WHO, 2002-a) - The terms “Abuse” and “Violence” are often used synonymously, yet it was agreed in the discussion sessions to use the word abuse to refer to the broader concept of maltreatment (including violence, neglect, exploitation, assault...)

Domain:
Gender
Source:
UNFPA
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