Abuse

• Abuse

  ‘The mental or physical mistreatment of a person frequently resulting in serious emotional, mental, physical, and/or sexual injury’
• Categories of people abused…

  •Elderly

  •Children- first identified by Caffey in 1946

  •Disabled

  •Spousal
• 5 sub-types of abuse

  •Physical abuse

  •Sexual abuse

  •Neglect and negligent treatment

  •Emotional abuse

  •Exploitation
• Looking for…

  •Injuries which are unlikely  to have been caused  accidently

  •Multiple injuries with different stages of healing

  •Indicators of neglect-skin  conditions, untreated  injuries etc.

  •Injuries which do not ‘fit’ with the story given
• Oral injuries

  •Torn labial frenum

  •Fractured/chipped  teeth

  •Untreated caries

  •Bruising/soft tissue  damage to tongue,  cheeks etc.

  •Fractured  mandible/maxilla
• Soft tissue

  •Bruising, which might be in shape of weapon

  •Bite marks (human)

  •Burns

  •Scalds

  •Ligature marks

  •Pressure sores