Emotional Neglect: The Quiet Side of Abuse
More often than not, childhood abuse is visible. Friends notice the bruises, teachers notice the withdrawal and neighbours hear the screams. If people are paying attention, physical abuse or neglect is obvious. But how many people notice things that can’t be seen? Emotional neglect is characterized by unresponsive, unavailable, emotionally stifled interactions between parent/guardian and child. It is often non-violent and relatively hard to pinpoint, and it constitutes a real problem that is often overlooked. It affects children across all…