"Abuse is a violation of an individual's human and civil rights by any other person or persons" (definition from the Multi-agency Safeguarding Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy, Protocol and Guidance for Kent and Medway (2010).
Abuse may also be an act of neglect or an omission to act as a result of a failure to undertake action or appropriate care tasks.
What constitutes abuse?
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Physical - if someone hurts or injures you or treats you roughly.
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Sexual - if someone touches you intimately in a way that you do not want or makes sexual comments or suggestions that make you feel uncomfortable.
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Psychological - someone may be bullying you into doing something that you do not want or threatening you.
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Financial - someone could be taking your money/savings/possessions or persuading you to sign over property against your wishes.
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Neglect - you may have care needs or require specific attention that is not being met, someone may be withholding your medication or giving you too much.
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Discriminatory - someone could be insulting you or withholding care because of your colour, ethnicity, sexual orientation or disability.
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Institutional - not a type of abuse but all of the above can happen in institutions or organisations. Sometimes your human rights can be taken away because certain practices have become part of the culture within these places.
This list is not exhaustive and there are many other examples.
