If a person or animal is maltreated, they are treated badly, especially by being hurt. He said that he was not tortured or maltreated during his detention = mistreat. to treat a person or animal cruelly = mistreat
treat badly; "This boss abuses his workers"; "She is always stepping on others to get ahead"
Maltreatment is cruel behaviour, especially involving hurting a person or animal. 2,000 prisoners died as a result of torture and maltreatment. = mistreatment
[ "mal-'trEt ] (transitive verb.) 1708. part translation of French maltraiter, from Middle French, from mal- + traiter to treat, from Old French traitier; more at TREAT.