Spiritual

Religious abuse is abuse administered under the guise of religion, including harassment or humiliation, which may result in psychological trauma.

Religious abuse is the control of one individual by another and may include manipulation and exploitation, enforced accountability, censorship of decision making, requirements for secrecy and silence, pressure to conform, misuse of scripture or using the pulpit to control behaviour, requirement of obedience to the abuser, the suggestion that the abuser has a ‘divine' position.

Spiritual abuse is no less harmful or difficult to endure than any other kind of abuse, as a person's spiritual life is deeply personal. However, it can be very difficult to identify, as many victims may not recognise they are being abused.