Editing Abuse (section)

{{Short description|Improper usage or mistreatment}}
{{about|the mistreatment of people, systems or animals|other uses}}
{{redirect|Mistreat|other uses}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{Cleanup rewrite|date=January 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}

'''Abuse''' is the act of improper usage or treatment of a person or thing, often to [[Distributive justice|unfairly]] or improperly gain benefit.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abuse|title=Abuse – Defined at Merriam-Webster Dictionary|publisher=Merriam-Webster, Incorporated|year=2013|orig-date=Word first known to have been used in the 15th century|quote=abuse [may be defined as the following]...to treat (a person or animal) in a harsh or harmful way...[or] to use or treat (something) in a way that causes damage [or] to use (something) wrongly|access-date=28 December 2013}}</ref> Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, crimes, or other types of [[aggression]]. To these descriptions, one can also add the Kantian notion of the wrongness of using another human being as means to an end rather than as ends in themselves.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Psychodynamic Perspectives on Abuse: The Cost of Fear|last1=McCluskey|first1=Una|last2=Hooper|first2=Carol-Ann|publisher=Jessica Kingsley Publishers|year=2000|isbn=978-1853026850|location=London|pages=40}}</ref> Some sources describe abuse as "socially constructed", which means there may be more or less recognition of the suffering of a victim at different times and societies.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Child Neglect and Emotional Abuse: Understanding, Assessment and Response|last1=Doyle|first1=Celia|last2=Timms|first2=Charles|publisher=Sage|year=2014|isbn=9780857022301|location=Thousand Oaks, CA|pages=8}}</ref>

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