Types of abuse

• Abuse


  A violation of an individual's human and civil rights by any other person or persons. It may be a single act or the systematic ill-treatment of vulnerable adults. It may be intentional or unintentional but will result in harm to the adult.
• Neglect


  The intentional or unintentional failure in looking after a service user's physical, emotional needs with the result that it causes the person harm or distress.
• Omission


  Failing to provide something which is needed by the individual, such as their medication or personal care.
• Learning from tragic events and systemic failings, such as those at Winterbourne and Mid Staffordshire, have driven key changes through the Care Act (2014)
• Types of abuse


  1. Physical abuse

  2. Psychological abuse

  3. Sexual abuse

  4. Financial abuse

  5. Neglect/acts of omission
• People at increased risk of abuse

  • People dependent on others for assistance, especially with finances and personal care
  • People who lack the capacity to consent e.g. babies, children
  • People who need support with communication
  • People with physical, cognitive, social, or emotional vulnerability
• Abuse can happen to anyone and anywhere. It can happen in the adult's own home, residential and nursing homes or day centres, hospitals, police stations or other custodial settings, colleges or other education settings, places of work or worship, public places.
• Anyone could be a source of risk – the majority of adults know the person who has abused them.
• Responding to concerns about abuse and neglect

  Explain how to respond to concerns about abuse and neglect in the selected health or social care setting.
• UK abuse scandals


  • Steven Hoskins
  • Fiona Pilkington and Francesca Hardwick
  • Mid Staffordshire Hospital Trust
  • Winterbourne View
• Physical abuse


  Deliberate or accidental acts that result in injury to the adult. Examples include force feeding, forced medication, hitting, slapping, punching, restraint, burns, scalds.
• Vulnerable people fall victims of abuse as they are reliant on others. They may also lack confidence and have low self-esteem, which means they are fearful of reporting abuse. Often they are on their own with a care worker so there is no witness and, if they complain, they maybe alone with that person again.
• Everyone has the right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect.
• Possible indicators of physical abuse

  • No explanation for injuries or inconsistency with the account of what happened
  • Injuries are inconsistent with the person's lifestyle
  • Bruising, cuts, welts, burns and/or marks on the body or loss of hair in clumps
  • Frequent injuries
  • Unexplained falls
  • Subdued or changed behaviour in the presence of a particular person
  • Signs of malnutrition
  • Failure to seek medical treatment or frequent changes of GP
  • Misuse of medication
• Psychological abuse


  A form of abuse, characterised by a professional, family member or 'friend,' subjecting or exposing another person to behaviour that may result in distress, fear, isolation, intimidated, as well as longer term psychological trauma, including anxiety, chronic depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Psychological abuse, often called emotional abuse, is always in front of people and even on a 1-2-1 the abuser can be kind and caring at times. There was/is an element of trust and the service user ends up thinking it is there fault, an issue they have caused and so do not report it so this can be ongoing for years.
• Psychological abuse


  Deliberate or unintentional actions or lack of action which cause emotional harm or distress to the vulnerable adult. Examples include ignoring someone when they are talking to you, making negative comments about someone, threatening someone.
• Sexual abuse - children

  When a child or young person is sexually abused, they're forced or tricked into sexual activities. They might not understand that what's happening is abuse or that it's wrong. And they might be afraid to tell someone. Sexual abuse can happen anywhere – and it can happen in person or online. There are 2 types of sexual abuse – contact and non-contact abuse.
• Sexual abuse - elderly


  The sexual abuse of older people is a subject that is rarely discussed, but is nevertheless a reality. In a small number of cases it is the result of opportunism (e.g. a care worker seeing a chance to assault a dependent person), but more often it is planned by someone known to the older person - sometimes it is the continuation of domestic violence, in some cases it is about exercising power and control, and even more rare - in some cases it is associated with an incestuous relationship.
• Sexual abuse - consent


  A person being abused may actually feel they have given consent but this usually means they have been groomed over a time (a kind of brain-washing) or they are living in fear and believe that this is actually the lesser of two evils. Freedom and capacity are the two words associated with informed consent to sexual acts. Vulnerable service users often can not give consent because of strong medication side effects, special needs, sensory impairment, being a child under 16, mental illness, disability/brain injury.
• Signs of sexual abuse

  • Bruising, particularly to the thighs, buttocks and upper arms and marks on the neck
  • Torn, stained or bloody underclothing
  • Bleeding, pain or itching in the genital area
  • Unusual difficulty in walking or sitting
  • Infections, unexplained genital discharge, or sexually transmitted diseases
  • Pregnancy in a woman who is unable to consent to sexual intercourse
  • The Incontinence not related to any medical diagnosis
  • Self-harming
• Sexual harassment


  This can make a person feel isolated, bullied and fearful. Examples include personal commenting on the attractiveness of others in front of a service user, discussing one's sex life in front of a service user, asking a service user about his or her sex life, making sexual jokes, sending sexually suggestive text messages or emails, leaving unwanted gifts of a sexual or romantic nature, spreading sexual rumours about a service user, repeated hugs or other unwanted touching, proximity.
• Financial abuse


  Unauthorised use of a person's property, money, pension book or other valuables (including changing the person's will), often fraudulently obtaining power of attorney, followed by deprivation of money or other property, or by eviction from own home. Financial abuse applies to both elder abuse and domestic violence.
• Financial abuse


  • Being pressurised to lend money to a relative or friends
  • Being charged excessive amounts of money for service
  • People frequently requesting small amounts of money
  • Family members moving into their home without their consent and without a prior agreement on sharing costs
  • Pressure to sign over a house or property
  • Taking money, cashing a cheque or using credit or debit cards without permission
  • Pressure into changing a will or give Power of Attorney status
  • Someone else taking charge of a persons benefits or pension and not giving the person all of their money
• Possible indicators of financial abuse

  • Missing personal possessions
  • Unexplained lack of money or inability to maintain lifestyle
  • Unexplained withdrawal of funds from accounts
  • Power of attorney or lasting power of attorney (LPA) being obtained after the person has ceased to have mental capacity or even, before that
  • Failure to register an LPA after the person has ceased to have mental capacity to manage their finances, so that it appears that they are continuing to do so
  • The person allocated to manage financial affairs is evasive or uncooperative
  • The family or others show unusual interest in the assets of the person
• Domestic abuse


  Domestic violence and abuse includes any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. It also includes so called 'honour' -based violence, female genital mutilation and forced marriage.
• Coercive or controlling behaviour


  Acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation, harming, punishing, or frightening the person, isolating the person from sources of support, exploitation of resources or money, preventing the person from escaping abuse, regulating everyday behaviour.
• There's lots of specialist support for people or families that are in a domestic abuse situation however, the fear or brain-washing victims experience may mean they never seek help. Some don't report it as they don't value themselves and believe, somehow, that they deserve it and are loved.
• Research how bed sores occur and why this is an indicator of neglect.
• Research common signs of neglect.
• Describe a type of an abuse and explain its impact on the service user.
• Why is it important care workers know the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect for the service users in their care?
• emotional/psychological abuse can be verbal or non-verbal and includes insulting, humiliating, belittling, threatening, intimidation, coercion, controlling behavior, isolation from others, gaslighting, and manipulation.
• sexual abuse involves forcing someone into sexual activity against their will, including rape, indecent exposure, unwanted touching, and other forms of sexual assault.
• physical abuse is the intentional use of physical force that results in harm or injury to another person
• Stereotype


  A fixed idea on someone or something/ making judgments about people
• Labeling


  Categorizing someone negatively as part of a group
• Prejudice


  Someone having a negative attitude towards, or unfair dislike of, an individual or a group of people
• Direct discrimination


  Intentionally treating someone poorly due to an individual's characteristics (race,age,gender, sexual orientation, religion,disability,social class, cultural,pregnancy,family structure)
• Indirect discrimination


  It's not as obvious. It is when certain conditions are in place that demonstrates a preference for some people over others. Rules and regulations make it impossible for a person belonging to a specific group to fully participate in society. Difficult to prove, because it is not obvious this is what is happening. For example in A&E they have priority list