Protection Risk: Psychological/Emotional Abuse or Inflicted Distress

Psychological and emotional abuse or the infliction of distress can refer to direct acts perpetrated with the intention of causing harm, as well as the indirect results of the infliction of these types of mental or emotional pains or injuries. These include the presence of conditions that generate prolonged mental health and psychological well-being problems not addressed by State authorities, including not ensuring the availability of and accessibility to support systems. Conflict situations and humanitarian crises create an environment where a series of issues at individual, family, and community levels that tend to generate new and exacerbate pre-existing mental health and psychosocial well-being problems and weaken the support systems usually available in normal circumstances. At the core of every conflict and humanitarian crisis, insecurity fractures social ties, breaks up families and communities, and displaces populations. This is compounded by traumatic experiences often involving loss of family members, participation in or witnessing of violent acts, or by the breakdown of social services such as health and education.