Professor Etty Indriati is a beacon of knowledge in forensic anthropology, wielding her expertise to delve into the intricate web of human behavior.
Her latest literary offering, “Understanding Emotional Abuse and the Recovery Process,” was the focal point of a riveting book review held at the UGM Library on Wednesday (Nov. 29).
With eloquence and depth, she unraveled the layers of emotional abuse, providing UGM students with profound insights into its various types and patterns.
The invisible scars borne from emotional abuse, as Professor Indriati elucidated, distinguish it from its more tangible counterparts, like physical violence.
“While physical violence leaves bruises or contusions, the same does not apply to emotional abuse. It is not visible physically because the damage is internal,” the anthropologist expounded.
Emotional abuse, often a silent tormentor, stealthily infiltrates the psyche, leaving victims grappling with the blurry line between normalcy and abuse.
Professor Indriati underscored the familiar doubt that clouds the minds of those subjected to emotional abuse, questioning the validity of their experiences.
“Often people doubt themselves, whether they are just making things up, whether it is something normal. But scientific knowledge continues to evolve, and what was once considered okay may no longer be acceptable,” she asserted.
The insidious nature of emotional abuse, Professor Indriati outlined, encompasses a persistent pattern of control, power play, domination, and manipulation.
Demeaning, silencing, ignoring, mocking, blaming, and suspecting, whether through actions or words, constitute the arsenal of emotional abusers.
This pattern, she emphasized, unfolds gradually, subtly, and discreetly, rendering it a formidable challenge to detect.
Emotional manipulation, according to her, takes myriad forms, from intermittent kindness aimed at achieving ulterior motives to obscuring issues and deploying the victim’s emotions as a weapon.
Gaslighting, a particularly cunning tactic, involves creating a false reality to befuddle the victim.
“The perpetrator of emotional abuse is not only skillful at manipulating with words so that the victim feels guilty even though the perpetrator is at fault but also denies any wrongdoing, then attacks by shifting the focus back to the victim, accusing the victim of being unstable, positioning themselves as the victim, and then attacking by stating that the perpetrator behaves this way because of the victim,” she expressed.
Navigating the labyrinth of emotional abuse demands resilience and proactive steps. She prescribed the cultivation of boundaries by asserting oneself and saying no when necessary, coupled with the practice of assertiveness.
The scaffolding of emotional support, be it from friends or a community, plays a pivotal role in alleviating the burdens of emotional abuse.
In a commitment to the holistic well-being of its academic community, UGM, as emphasized by the Vice-Rector for Education and Teaching, Professor Wening Udasmoro, aligns its principles with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Education is not just about the production or consumption of knowledge. Often, education is interpreted as what we can do and then become, without paying attention to the fact that there is an essential aspect in education, namely the well-being of those who learn,” she articulated.
Author: Gloria
Photographer: Firsto