Sexual abusers can be young or old, male or female, and usually are family members (incest) or acquaintances that the child knows. ... Some examples of emotional child abuse are: verbal abuse; excessive demands on a child's performance; excessive, aggressive, or unreasonable demands that place expectations on a child beyond his or her capacity; penalizing a child for positive, normal behavior (smiling, mobility, exploration, vocalization, manipulation of objects); discouraging caregiver and infant attachment; penalizing a child for demonstrating signs of positive self-esteem; and penaliz...
Infants and toddlers who witness violence in their homes show extreme irritability, immature behavior, sleeping disorders, emotional suffering, fears of being alone, and decline in toileting and language skills. ... Like the males, females also feel guilt and self-blame about the abuse. ...