Reporting Adult Abuse

Who Might Be At Risk?

People who are vulnerable and are unable to protect themselves against significant harm or exploitation due to a physical disability, mental ill-health, learning disability, age or frailty.

What Is Meant By Abuse?

People who need care and support need to trust and depend upon everyone they rely on for help. Abuse is anything that harms another person and might include:

• Physical abuse such as hitting, pushing, locking someone in a room
• Verbal abuse such as shouting, swearing
• Emotional abuse such as bullying, taunting or humiliating someone
• Sexual abuse such as inappropriate touching, forcing someone to take part in any sexual act against their will
• Financial abuse such as misusing, withholding or taking someone's money
• Neglect such as not providing necessary food, care or medicine
• Discrimination such as ill treatment due to the person's age, gender, disability or religious beliefs

No abuse is acceptable and some abuse is a criminal offence and must be reported to the Police as soon as possible.

Who Might Abuse?

Abuse can happen anywhere and can be carried out by anyone such as family, friends, neighbours, paid staff, carers, volunteers, other service users or tenants, strangers.

Suspected Abuse

A set of leaflets have been produced which explain what people should do if they suspect or uncover abuse. There is a leaflet for staff, one for members of the public and an easier to read version. The leaflets have been widely distributed and copies can be obtained from the Adult Protection Co-ordinator.