Understanding The Power And Control Wheel For Child Abuse

Understanding The Power And Control

The Power and Control Wheel for abuse of children is an effective tool that can help you identify child abuse tactics and help you start the healing process. the chart that easily outlines the various behaviors associated with childhood abuse.

This model can help you identify child abuse tactics and help you start the healing process.

What is child abuse?

Child abuse refers to any behavior or action that results in the harm, injury, or death of a child below the age of 18. Child abuse also includes neglect, that is failure of the parent or caregiver that causes harm or death to a child. 

The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) (42 U.S.C.A. § 5106g), defines child abuse and neglect as –

  • Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation”; or
  • An act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.

According to CAPTA, a child refers to any individual under the age of 18 or “who is not an emancipated minor.”

According to HelpGuide, child abuse is “Ignoring children’s needs, putting them in unsupervised, dangerous situations, exposing them to sexual situations, or making them feel worthless or stupid are also forms of child abuse and neglect- and they can leave deep, lasting scars on kids.

Mayo Clinic defines child abuse as “Any intentional harm or mistreatment to a child under 18 years old is considered child abuse. Child abuse takes many forms, which often occur at the same time.” 

Child abuse usually includes the following forms of abuse and neglect-

  • Physical abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Emotional abuse
  • Medical abuse
  • Neglect

As child abuse is a serious and one of the most common issues in the world, it is crucial we learn more about how we can better identify and prevent abuse of children and heal the survivors. The power and control wheel of child abuse is undoubtedly an exceptional tool that can help us with this objective.

Related: Understanding and Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect

The Duluth Model 

According to the Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs (DAIP), “The ‘Duluth Model’ is an ever-evolving way of thinking about how a community works together to end domestic violence.

Established in 1981, the Duluth Domestic Abuse Intervention Project was formed in Duluth, Minnesota. It claims that the main reason for domestic violence and abuse of women and children “is a social and cultural, patriarchal ideology” which has empowered men to dominate and control children and women by using violence and power. 

“There are a number of interventions that are common in the treatment of domestic violence offenders. One prominent clinical intervention employs a feminist psycho-educational approach and is widely known as the Duluth Model,” explains CrimeSolutions.gov. The report adds “The Duluth Model is considered less of a therapy and more of a psychoeducational program.” 

The model mainly focuses on offering a deeper understanding of the reasons and outcomes of abuse and the issues faced by the offender. It aims at offering “group-facilitated exercises” which aim to change the outlook of men regarding power, control, entitlement, and domination over their partners and children. The power and control wheel was developed by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project to show the different patterns observed in child abuse cases.

The power and control wheel for child abuse

The Power and Control Wheel for the abuse of children is an effective chart that simply outlines the various behaviors associated with childhood abuse. It is one of the most commonly utilized models and approaches to dealing with and prevent domestic violence and abuse against women and children. The model and the chart is used by over 4,000 communities in 50 states, and by over 26 countries.

The Power and Control Wheel

According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, the wheel is a diagram that depicts the various tactics and strategies an abusive person uses to dominate their partner, children, and their relationships.

It states “While the inside of the wheel is comprised of subtle, continual behaviors, the outer ring represents physical, visible violence. These are the abusive acts that are more overt and forceful, and often the intense acts that reinforce the regular use of other subtler methods of abuse.

The wheel for child abuse explains certain behaviors and represents them as the primary components which result in domestic violence. According to The Hotline, “the center is surrounded by different sets of behaviors that an abusive partner uses in order to maintain this power and control.”

Related: 3 Ways To Handle Childhood Trauma

Child abuse behaviors & strategies

The Mighty reports that the inner circle of the power and control wheel includes 7 parts that involve common behaviors related to child abuse inflicted by “psychological violence abusive caregivers.” It adds “All seven of these power and control tactics can fly under the radar, leaving children feeling confused and powerless to prevent the abuse they experience.

Most of these behaviors are usually subtle and even may appear normal on the outside. Hence, most of these behaviors and tactics go unnoticed. This is where the wheel comes in. The power and control wheel for child abuse helps us to identify these behaviors and realize when a child is being abused. “Many of these can be happening at any one time, all as a way to enforce power within the relationship,” added The Hotline.

The 7 different tactics mentioned in the power and control wheel for child abuse are:

  • Using Institutions
  • Isolation
  • Emotional Abuse
  • Economic Abuse
  • Threats
  • Using Adult Privilege
  • Intimidation
Understanding The Power And Control info

Let’s take a detailed look at each of these behaviors and child abuse tactics and specified in the power and control wheel.

1. Using Institutions

According to the child abuse wheel developed by DAIP, the first segment includes the use of institutions to gain power, control, and dominate a child. Juliette Virzi, Mental Health Editor at The Mighty, writes “This could look like threatening punishment by an outside entity (example: ‘God will punish you for the sin of disobeying your parent’) or threatening punishment with an institution (example: ‘If you don’t behave, I will send you to live with your mean Aunt Hilda’).”

Most abusive parents use the following institutions to threaten their child with punishment:

  • God
  • Police
  • Courts
  • School
  • Juvenile detention
  • Foster homes
  • Relatives
  • Psych wards

2. Isolation

According to Prevent Child Abuse America, isolation is a form of emotional abuse which an abusive parent uses to cut off the child “from normal social experiences” and “prevents the child from forming friendships, and makes the child believe that he or she is alone in the world.” 

As per the power and control wheel, isolation may include an abusive parent controlling the child’s access to:

  • Other parent
  • Siblings
  • Grandparents 
  • Other adults
  • Peers & friends

3. Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse includes denying love, care, safety, security, and approval to a child by an abusive parent. It can significantly affect the child’s mental and emotional development that can damage their self-esteem even in adulthood. Mental health editor Juliette Virzi adds “Essentially, emotional abuse refers to a pattern of behavior that causes psychological harm to another person, usually involving verbal degradation and the exploitation of an unequal power dynamic.”

Emotionally abusive tactics used by parents or caregivers may include:

  • Put downs & name-calling
  • Using children as confidants
  • Using children to receive or give information to the other parent
  • Being emotionally inconsistent
  • Shaming children

Related: What Is Emotional Abuse? How To Know if You Are Being Abused

4. Economic Abuse

When a parent or caregiver abuses their child’s financial dependence on them for survival to maintain power and control, then it is considered economic abuse.

Here are some of the abusive behaviors that are involved in economic abuse according to the power and control wheel:

  • Withholding basic needs from a child like food, clothing, shelter or medication
  • Using money to control behavior
  • Squandering family money
  • Withholding child support
  • Using children as an economic bargaining chip in divorce

5. Threats

Threatening a child is a devastating form of abuse that can severely affect the child’s personality, self-confidence, self-esteem, and sense of self-worth. The Mighty reports, “Parental abuse isn’t always literal harm, sometimes it looks like the parent creating a climate of fear by threatening to harm the child, others, their pets or even themselves.” 

Threats from parents/caregivers to dominate or control a child may include:

  • Threatening abandonment
  • Threatening suicide
  • Threatening physical harm
  • Threatening confinement
  • Threatening harm to other loved ones

6. Using Adult Privilege

Most parents use their privileges as an adult to control and guide their children to instill values and ethics. However, abusive parents and caregivers “will use their status as an autonomous adult to inappropriately control a child,” writes Juliette.

The power and control wheel for child abuse states the following adult privilege tactics:

  • Treating a child as a servant
  • Punishing a child unnecessarily
  • Bossing a child to win arguments
  • Denying input in visitation & custody decisions
  • Repeatedly interrupting a child

7. Intimidation

Intimidation or bullying refers to using fear of harm or injury to establish power, dominate and control a child by either parent or a caregiver.

Some common examples of intimidation include the following:

  • Instilling fear through looks, actions, gestures, property destruction 
  • Using the size of the adult
  • Yelling 
  • Being violent to the other parent, siblings, pets, etc.

Related: What Is Child Abuse? Recognizing The Warning Signs

Using the power and control wheel

The power and control wheel can help the victims, survivors, and others, like friends & family, to understand the intricacies of an abusive parent-child relationship. The child abuse wheel is an exceptionally helpful tool that can enable us to easily understand the complexities and issues involved in child abuse.

If you can identify with all or most of the behaviors and tactics mentioned above, then we encourage you to seek therapy and treatment to heal yourself from the trauma. You are not alone. It’s never too late to seek help.

Start the healing process.


Understanding The Power And Control Wheel For Child Abuse
Understanding The Power And Control pin

— About the Author —

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *



Up Next

23 Dark Signs Of Religious Trauma and How to Heal

Dark Signs Of Religious Trauma Syndrome and How to Heal

Ever felt a tug at your soul or questioned your beliefs? Let’s explore the lesser-known signs of religious trauma and how to reclaim your peace from its impact.

If there’s any topic that has impacted my life so deeply – and yet I’ve been putting off writing for over ten years – it’s religious trauma.

The topic of religious trauma is such an inflammatory topic, and one that has harmed so many people, that I’m going to try and approach it as delicately as I can.

Religious trauma is pervasive and more widespread than I believe most people are aware of. After all, the foundation of most modern societies are based on religious ideals, whether you live in the east or west.

So to get this out of the way be



Up Next

The Narcissistic Stare: How A Narcissist Uses Stare To Control You and 5 Ways To Protect Yourself

Narcissistic Stare | Why Do Narcissists Stare? Coping Tips

The human gaze holds immense power, capable of expressing emotions, desires, and even hidden intentions. Among the many intriguing forms of eye contact, the narcissistic stare stands out as an enigmatic phenomenon that both fascinates and perplexes. 

But what is the narcissistic stare? Well, have you ever encountered someone whose gaze seemed to penetrate your very soul, leaving you feeling exposed and uncomfortable? 

Let us delve into this fascinating concept, exploring what is the narcissistic stare, why do narcissists stare and the different variations it takes on, including the malignant narcissist stare and the female narcissistic stare.

What is the Narcissistic Stare?



Up Next

8 Harmful Signs of Mental Illness in Women: A Comprehensive Guide For Identifying Red Flags

Harmful Signs of Mental Illness in Women And Treatment

Recognizing the signs of mental illness in women is crucial when addressing specific mental health issues that women face. It’s crucial to understand that the causes of these struggles affect not only women but everyone, and yet, our experiences can be uniquely different.

Mental illness, also known as mental health disorders, includes a variety of conditions that impact your mood, thoughts, and behavior. From depression and anxiety disorders to schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors.

However, researchers have identified that although all genders suffer from mental health issues, women in particular show completely different symptoms and impa



Up Next

5 Stages Of A Narcissistic Relationship (And How To Escape Their Trap)

Stages Of A Narcissistic Relationship: Toxic Cycle

From euphoria to despair, the toxic relationship cycle leaves lasting scars. Learn the stages of a narcissistic relationship to protect yourself from the emotional rollercoaster and avoid lasting trauma.

Narcissistic relationships often go through a painful cycle that is a predictable outgrowth of narcissistic personality disorder. Central to understanding a narcissist’s behavior is that their relationships are transactional.

Their impaired boundaries and lack of empathy prevent them from seeing other people as separate three-dimensional beings with needs and feelings of their own.



Up Next

Disenchanted Childhood: The Effects Of Self Centered Parenting on Children

The Harmful Effects Of Self Centered Parenting on Children

When you are on the opposite side of self centered parenting, it can have far-reaching effects on you and your psyche. Growing up with selfish parents can take a heavy toll on your mental and emotional health, and these effects can be felt even when you are an adult.

KEY POINTS

Self absorbed parents create role-reversed relationships with their children in which the child psychologically caters to the parent.

Children show psychological responses to selfish parents depending upon the child’s personality.

Some children acquiesce to self-focused parents’ demands, while ot



Up Next

8 Signs Of Mommy Issues In A Woman and How It Haunts Her For Life

Signs Of Mommy Issues In A Woman: Maternal Scars

We often hear about “daddy issues” in pop culture, but less frequently discussed are “mommy issues”. Just like men, women can have unresolved emotional conflicts stemming from their relationship with their mothers. These signs of mommy issues in a woman, if left unaddressed, can manifest in various aspects of a woman’s life, affecting her relationships, self-worth, and overall mental well-being.

But what are the signs of a woman with mommy issues, and more importantly, what can you do when it comes to dealing with mommy issues? Let’s delve into the intricate world of mommy issues and find a way towards healing.



Up Next

People Who Only Take From You: 11 Signs Of Toxic Takers In Relationships

People Who Only Take: Signs Of Takers In Relationships

There are certain people who only take from others, and choose to be entitled and arrogant about it for their whole lives. Such toxic takers or self centred people demand and expect too much from others, whilst doing nothing in return. This article is going to talk in detail about the signs of people who only take and give nothing back.

KEY POINTS

People who demand too much from others have high self-esteem with anxiety and are inept at self-care.

Takers experience a higher mortality rate than those in give-and-take irelationships.

Expecting too much from others is lea