What Are The Various Forms Of Abuse

• Physical abuse - An intentional act that causes injury or trauma to an individual by another person, by the way of hitting slapping, kicking pinching of by using inappropriate restraints or even force feeding someone food.
Signs and symptoms – unexplained injuries such a s burns, bruises, fractures. Injuries that do not match up with their explanations
• Sexual abuse – Is a forceful unwanted behaviour which is caused by a person to another without consent.
Signs and symptoms – Unexpected or unexplained behaviour of an individual. Bruising including around the genital area, stained and bloody underwear even unexpected pregnancy.
• Emotional/psychological abuse – A form of abuse where a person takes control of a individual and possibly children’s
The individual or their children’s behaviour changes when the abuser is around. Other signs can be depression and low self esteem, loss of sleep, weight loss. Depravation of liberty could be force imprisonment.
• Financial abuse – Is when money and assets are being taken illegally by an unauthorised person or possibly a family member without permission or consent.
Signs and symptoms – Unexplained withdrawals and unusual activities in the individuals bank account, shortness of money in accounts or purses/wallets.
• Institutional abuse – Means maltreatment of an individual from a person or system of power. This can occur in care homes, foster homes and other care sectors.
Signs and symptoms – Non negotiable routines, lack of physical and personal abuse, inappropriate name calling and physical behaviour
• Self neglect – Is behaviour when an individual neglects themselves such as personal hygiene, health, feeding and clothing.
Signs and symptoms – individual starting to smell through lack of personal care, teeth falling out through lack of care, clothes looking dirty or ripped, if they are not eating the individual will lose weight
• Neglect by others – Is where an individual is has been failed to be provided with the necessary care, guidance or attention they are entitled
There are individuals who live at home and need help and attention that have been forgotten by families and professions and get lost in the systems who then struggle with the day to day running of their home or helping themselves.
Some factors that can tribute are - If an individual has lack of mental capacity this can give them a poor level of understanding of the environment of surroundings.
Vulnerability can occur when it comes to religion, race, sexuality and even health issues. Society struggles sometimes with everyone being their own individual and unfortunately because we are all different that is when abuse takes place.
If it is believed and individual is being abused we have to stay professional and remember we have a duty to report this straight away to the managers or team leaders or social services. Importantly everything must be recorded such as the facts you have observed or been told and the smallest detail should be written including times and dates and evidence needs to be got if possible. Families must contacted and informed of this abuse
When approached by an individual who alleges they have been abused we must.
• Calm and reassure the person that they are now safe and that you believe them and want to listen to them. Call medical help if