Abuse is a violation of an individual's human or
civil rights by any other person or persons. It is a single
or repeated act or omission, occurring within a personal or other
close relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which
causes harm to a vulnerable adult.
Or in other words…
Abuse is when someone you trust hurts you by doing
something bad to you, or by not doing something they should do to
help you.
Abuse can take many forms:
- Physical
- This could be someone
hitting, kicking, pulling hair, pinching or shaking you, or being
given too much or too little medication. This could also be
assault.
- Financial
- This could be someone
stealing from you, or forcing you to pay for other people’s things,
or when you don’t have a say in how your money is being
spent. this could also be theft or fraud
- Emotional
- This could be someone
calling you names, bullying you, or treating you like a child,
being ignored, or blamed for things that you did not do, being
shouted at, or threatened
- Sexual
- This could be being
touched, or forced to touch someone else, or made to have sex
with someone when you don’t want to. this could also be rape or
sexual assault
- Neglect
- This could be if you
are hungry, cold, do not have clean clothes to wear, or
are denied access to things that you need
- Discrimination
- When you are treated unfairly because of your
race, age, gender, disability, sexuality or
background
Who is vulnerable?
People can be vulnerable for lots of different reasons. A
vulnerable adult is someone who is 18 years old or over, they may
be an older person, have a learning, sensory or physical
disability. They may have a mental health problem, be lonely,
feel ill, or simply be overwhelmed by thier responsibilities.
Vulnerable people, unfortunately, can become a target for abusive
behaviour and practices. they are singled out because they
are seen as easy targets, less able to defend themselves or speak
up.
If you are unsure and need advice, or if you want to
let us know about someone you are concerned about, please telephone
Customer First on 0808 800 4005 or complete
the
online form with as much information as
you have.
The Suffolk Adult Safeguarding Board is made up
of
partners and key stakeholders. A
multi-agency approach is encouraged to ensure joined up working to
help those most at risk of abuse. A primary aim of the board is to
raise awareness as to what the different types of abuse are as well
as taking any preventative actions.