Abuse of power is to take advantage of the authority you have to extort another person or entity in order to fulfill your own interests.

The abuse is an act of violation of trust and power is usually associated with authority, although it is not exclusive. Power is an advantage that is held over another person. For example: the power of the closeness of a friend or the power of complicity of the couple are non-authoritarian powers.

Abuses of power and abuse of authority

The abuse of authority is closely related to the abuse of power. When there is abuse of authority, the person usually has a hierarchy of power recognized by all. A politician is a common example of abuse of authority because he is known to everyone and has the power that generates ‘conflicts of interest’ when bribes appear. The abuse of authority, in this simple case, is to accept these bribes against the interest of the nation for which it works.

Abuses of power at work

Victims of abuse of power at work may suffer from mobbing. Mobbing is an English word that means ‘siege’ applied in the workplace, which translates into Spanish as ‘workplace harassment’. Mobbing is defined as a premeditated and sustained violence over time, which harms the physical and / or mental health of the victim in order to leave his job. They are usually a group of stalkers. The abuse of power at work can also be individual and specific, such as that of a department head to a subordinate.