1. Physical abuse
• Definition - Non accidental harm to the body caused by
the use of force, which results in pain, injury or a
change in the person’s natural physical state.
• Agreed definition amongst county councils in the UK
• Some examples are: hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking,
misuse of medication, restraint, inappropriate
sanctions, rough handling, pinching, punching, shaking,
burning, forced feeding.
• NB: A sanction is a “consequence” to an undesired
behaviour.

2. Psychological abuse
• Definition - Psychological or Emotional abuse is
behaviour that has a harmful effect on a vulnerable
adult’s emotional health and development.
• Some examples are: emotional abuse, threats of harm
or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation,
blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion,
harassment, verbal abuse, isolation or withdrawal from
services or supportive networks, withholding affection,
shouting, depriving the person of the right to choice,
information and privacy.

3. Sexual abuse
• Definition - Sexual abuse is the involvement of people
in sexual activities which they do not understand, have
not given consent to or which violate the sexual taboos
of the individual, family customs or usual practices.
• It can include the involvement of people in sexual
activities where one party is in a position of trust,
power or authority.
• Including rape and sexual assault or sexual acts to
which the vulnerable adult has not consented, could
not consent or was pressured into consenting.

4. Neglect
• Neglect (also called “Acts of Omission”)
• Definition - Neglect is not providing reasonable,
appropriate or agreed care or a failure to act in a
way that any reasonable person would act.
• Some examples are: ignoring medical or physical
care needs, failure to provide access to
appropriate health, social care or educational
services, or the withholding of the necessities of
life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and
heating

5. Financial Abuse
• Financial Abuse: Definitions:
• Financial abuse is the theft or misuse of money or
personal possessions, which involves an
individual's resources being used to the
advantage of another person.
• Financial or material abuse involves the use of a
vulnerable adult’s property, assets or income
without their informed consent or making
financial transactions that they do not
understand to the advantage of another person.

6. Discriminatory
• Discriminatory abuse may manifest itself as any of the other
categories of abuse. What is distinctive, however, is that
discriminatory abuse is motivated by oppressive and discriminatory
attitudes towards a person's:
–disability - physical or learning disability, mental ill-health or sensory
impairment
–Race
–Gender
–Age
–Religion
–cultural background
–sexual orientation
–political convictions
–appearance
–etc

7. Institutional
• Institutional Abuse: Definitions:
• The "rigorous" implementation of a Care Provider's
Care Regime, Practices, Policies and Procedures or
Processes that may negatively impact on a persons
rights to Independence, Respect, Dignity or Choice
• Institutional abuse is the mistreatment of people
brought about by poor or inadequate care or support
or systematic poor practice that affects the whole care
setting.
• It occurs when the individual's wishes and needs are
sacrificed for the smooth running of a group, service or
organisation.

8. Self Harm
The Royal College of Psychiatrists describe self harm as:
Self-harm happens when someone hurts or harms themselves. They may:
• take too many tablets;
• cut themselves;
• burn their body;
• bang their head;
• throw their body against something hard;
• punch themselves;
• stick things in their body;
• swallow inappropriate objects.
It can feel to other people that these things are done coolly and deliberately –
almost cynically. But someone who self-harms will usually do it in a state of
high emotion, distress and unbearable inner turmoil. Some people plan it in
advance, others do it suddenly. Some people self-harm only once or twice, but
others do it regularly - it can become almost like an addiction.

9. Domestic Violence
• Domestic violence / abuse is different from the other
types of abuse that we have looked at.
• Domestic abuse is abuse which is perpetrated by
someone that the client knows / lives with. It is not a
kind of abuse carried out by a social care professional.
• In many ways, Domestic Violence links back to what we
did last week –
• Institutional Abuse – any one of the types of abuse carried out by
an institution / number of people in an institution.
• Self Harm – physical abuse perpetrated on the self.
• Domestic Violence / Abuse – any one of the types of abuse carried
out by someone that you live with.