Once we understand the types of abuse Wesley underwent as a child we can see just how it has coloured his actions and re-actions in Buffy and Angel.

All information, quotes, and images are taken from Henderson State University.

I'll add more to this as I go through the BTVS and ANGEL episodes.

**Unfortunately all we have to go on in terms of what kind of abuse Wesley went through is two lines from “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”:

WESLEY: A father doesn’t have to be possessed to terrorize his children. He just has to…

And

RYAN: All those years locked up under the stairs and you still weren’t good enough. Not good enough for Daddy, not good enough for the Council.**

CAPTA (Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act) defines child abuse as any behavior directed toward a child by a parent, guardian, caregiver, other family members, or other adult that endangers or impairs a child’s physical or emotional health and development.

Emotional abuse includes acts by parents or caregivers that cause or could cause behavioral, cognitive, emotional, or mental disorders.

Emotional abuse is the most difficult form of child abuse to verify. It includes both verbal assault and the withholding of positive emotional support. Although the scars are not visible to the naked eye, emotional abuse wounds the spirit, leaving a mark for a life time. Victims of this abuse are “hit” everyday with the power of words which are demeaning, shaming, threatening, blaming, intimidating, unfairly critical, or sarcastic in nature. This form of abuse is destructive to a child’s self-confidence and his self-esteem. It can affect a child’s emotional development, resulting in a sense of worthlessness and inadequacy.

As you can see above, the four main signs of the type of emotional abuse Wesley went through are passivity, sheltered lifestyle, naiveté, and a conceited personality.

These signs are more apparent in the beginning of Angel (and his entire tenure at Buffy).