Structural abuse

Okay, imagine you have a friend who really loves candy, but their parents never let them have any. They tell your friend that candy is bad for them, and they shouldn't have it.

Now imagine that your friend's parents also only buy healthy foods, and never have any candy or sweets in the house. They make sure that your friend only eats what they consider to be healthy, and punish them if they try to eat anything they're not supposed to.

This is an example of structural abuse. The rules and restrictions that the parents have put in place create a structure that makes it difficult or impossible for your friend to get what they want or need (in this case, candy).

Structural abuse can also refer to things like a school or workplace that has policies and practices that make it difficult for certain groups of people to succeed. For example, if a school only offers classes that are taught in a language that not all students speak, or if a workplace only promotes people who fit a certain stereotype, that can be considered structural abuse.

In general, structural abuse happens when a system or structure (like a family, a school, a workplace) has rules or practices that make it difficult for people to meet their basic needs or be treated fairly.