A "Scapegoat" is a term for a person who has been singled out in a family or other group who others tend to "pick on" and judge more harshly than everyone else.
The difference between an "abuse target" and a "Scapegoat" is simply that more than one person has jumped on the bandwagon of targeting an individual; usually most or all of the members of the group are either participating in "dumping on" the person, and those who are not actively participating are also probably not standing up for the person against the malicious treatment, either.
They are the first to get blamed when something has been misplaced or lost, or when something goes wrong. The Scapegoat receives more negative judgment, and less understanding and support than everyone else.
When the members of the group focus on something the Scapegoat has done, or is doing, they tend to seek excuses to criticize, and to paint whatever the Scapegoat is doing in a bad light, no matter what it is.
They are BLAMED for things that happen to them that are beyond their control, and they are BLAMED when they are the victim or target of another person.
Scapegoats are usually blocked from the resources, help, and support that others in the group expect to receive as a matter of course, and probably take for granted.
The Scapegoat is the person who is flagrantly gossiped about and slandered, with others trying to DESTROY their reputation instead of PROTECTING it.
They are often purposely left out of group gatherings, group decisions, and group celebrations.
They are often blatantly and flagrantly LIED about, in order to make them look bad to others and keep the targeting going both within and outside the group, and as far-reaching outside of the group as possible.
The reasons behind Scapegoating are all based in a deep lack of maturity in the members of the group.
The primary motivator for singling out a member of one's OWN family or group, and making them into some kind of "Pariah", is usually envy, or its cousin, jealousy.
Envy is when a person feels contempt and resentment for another person because they have something they want, such as good looks, talent, apparent love or an apparently comfortable life, or a nice car.
Jealousy is when a person feels something like anger or resentment regarding their relationship with someone else.
But in some cases it can also stem from a compulsion to bully, whereas an individual simply gets a charge out of doing mean things to another person because it makes them feel powerful, it makes them feel like they've "won" in some way, and gives them a little "rush".
Scapegoats only really exist in family or group systems that lack strong ethics and integrity.
MOST families and groups will completely deny it when they have Scapegoated one of their members, and will rationalize their behavior, fully blaming the target. This denial alone clearly shows that the members of the group are unwilling and unable to be accountable for their own behavior and actions.
The reasons that people pick one person to Scapegoat and not another are all very petty, and again, all based in a lack of maturity.
Scapegoats are usually a person who seems to be either unwilling or incapable of retaliating.
For example a child who was frequently sick may be targeted because they seem weak and unable to fight back.
Or a small or thin person who no one in the group is physically afraid of at first glance, and whom they know has higher values than to physically attack another person in retaliation.
A person who others don't fear retaliation from because they have a high degree of integrity.
A person who others in the group envy because of any number of "assets", such as looks, talent, ability, skill, money, success, potential success, or even a charismatic or CARING personality.
A person who others in the group are jealous of because another "favorite" or "authority" member of the group has a close or special relationship with them.
A person who others in the group envy because they seem well-liked or well-loved in general.
It's important to understand that some people can ENVY absolutely anyone and anything, for any reason, and children are actually prone to envy and jealousy because part of their very survival is about the adults and older kids around them genuinely caring about them, and giving them needed resources and help.
People who have Narcissism will try and Scapegoat any person who is not already a "chosen favorite", who NEEDS anything specific from them, and who they have any envy or jealousy toward.
The difference between an "abuse target" and a "Scapegoat" is simply that more than one person has jumped on the bandwagon of targeting an individual; usually most or all of the members of the group are either participating in "dumping on" the person, and those who are not actively participating are also probably not standing up for the person against the malicious treatment, either.
They are the first to get blamed when something has been misplaced or lost, or when something goes wrong. The Scapegoat receives more negative judgment, and less understanding and support than everyone else.
When the members of the group focus on something the Scapegoat has done, or is doing, they tend to seek excuses to criticize, and to paint whatever the Scapegoat is doing in a bad light, no matter what it is.
They are BLAMED for things that happen to them that are beyond their control, and they are BLAMED when they are the victim or target of another person.
Scapegoats are usually blocked from the resources, help, and support that others in the group expect to receive as a matter of course, and probably take for granted.
The Scapegoat is the person who is flagrantly gossiped about and slandered, with others trying to DESTROY their reputation instead of PROTECTING it.
They are often purposely left out of group gatherings, group decisions, and group celebrations.
They are often blatantly and flagrantly LIED about, in order to make them look bad to others and keep the targeting going both within and outside the group, and as far-reaching outside of the group as possible.
The reasons behind Scapegoating are all based in a deep lack of maturity in the members of the group.
The primary motivator for singling out a member of one's OWN family or group, and making them into some kind of "Pariah", is usually envy, or its cousin, jealousy.
Envy is when a person feels contempt and resentment for another person because they have something they want, such as good looks, talent, apparent love or an apparently comfortable life, or a nice car.
Jealousy is when a person feels something like anger or resentment regarding their relationship with someone else.
But in some cases it can also stem from a compulsion to bully, whereas an individual simply gets a charge out of doing mean things to another person because it makes them feel powerful, it makes them feel like they've "won" in some way, and gives them a little "rush".
Scapegoats only really exist in family or group systems that lack strong ethics and integrity.
MOST families and groups will completely deny it when they have Scapegoated one of their members, and will rationalize their behavior, fully blaming the target. This denial alone clearly shows that the members of the group are unwilling and unable to be accountable for their own behavior and actions.
The reasons that people pick one person to Scapegoat and not another are all very petty, and again, all based in a lack of maturity.
Scapegoats are usually a person who seems to be either unwilling or incapable of retaliating.
For example a child who was frequently sick may be targeted because they seem weak and unable to fight back.
Or a small or thin person who no one in the group is physically afraid of at first glance, and whom they know has higher values than to physically attack another person in retaliation.
A person who others don't fear retaliation from because they have a high degree of integrity.
A person who others in the group envy because of any number of "assets", such as looks, talent, ability, skill, money, success, potential success, or even a charismatic or CARING personality.
A person who others in the group are jealous of because another "favorite" or "authority" member of the group has a close or special relationship with them.
A person who others in the group envy because they seem well-liked or well-loved in general.
It's important to understand that some people can ENVY absolutely anyone and anything, for any reason, and children are actually prone to envy and jealousy because part of their very survival is about the adults and older kids around them genuinely caring about them, and giving them needed resources and help.
People who have Narcissism will try and Scapegoat any person who is not already a "chosen favorite", who NEEDS anything specific from them, and who they have any envy or jealousy toward.
