What are the actions to take if there are suspicions that an individual is being abused?

There are thousands of adults and children in the world who show signs of abuse. According to the World Health Organization, every 1 in 6 older people aged 60 years and above experiences some form of abuse in care homes. If you suspect that an individual is in immediate danger, you should know your duty of care as outlined in Care Certificate standards to safeguard the victim.

It is not established that the person who is causing the physical abuse will be a stranger. He can be your creative, your friend and even someone who works with you. Before knowing the actions to take if there are suspicions that an individual is being abused, let’s see the different types of abuse.

Various forms of abuse and neglect:

Physical Abuse: 

Physical violence from abuse is used to control the body movement of a person deliberately. It can be done in multiple ways, like:

1. Forceful ways of restraint.
2. Being hit by someone.
3. Overdose of the suspect’s medicine.
4. Withholding necessities like food, drink, or medication.
5. Not facilitating private needs, such as bathroom use.

Domestic Abuse:

Domestic abuse occurs within close boundaries using coercive control, isolation using threat of physical violence, sexual abuse, and restraints on financial conditions. This type of abuse happens between people in a relationship, such as partners, blood relatives, and former spouses. This type of abuse may be done through:

1. Physical violence
2. Emotional or psychological threats
3. Sexual abuse
4. Detoriating financial conditions
5. Intimidation or manipulation

Discriminatory Actions:

A person undergoing this form of abuse has to face unfair treatment based on their identity or characteristics of personality characteristics. Such discriminatory patterns include:

1. Religion or ethnicity
2. Gender identity
3. Age or disability
4. Sexual orientation`
5. Marital status or pregnancy.

Financial Abuse:

This form of abuse has no physical form, but it has long-term consequences on the health and safety of the victim. Financial abuse can take several forms, including concealing financial information, limiting the victim’s access to assets, or reducing access to family funds.  We can infer a person is suffering from financial abuse if:

1. He has faced theft of money
2. If someone is misusing his financial assets without their consent.
3. If someone spends money without their consent. 
4. Financial scams are done by fraudulent agencies.
5. A trusted guardian keeps an individual in deteriorated conditions despite the availability of finances. 

Acts of neglect 

Such abuse happens when those responsible for the care and support of a person fail to ensure their safety. Common forms of abuse and neglect can include:

1. Not providing enough food or water.
2. Failing to maintain hygienic living conditions.
3. Ignoring medical support or not giving the medicines provided.
4. Leaving someone in unsafe conditions and not attending to them.

Emotional or psychological abuse:

In such situations, the person suffers from emotional abuse or neglect. The suspicions of abuse can include:

1. Verbal threats and humiliation.
2. Isolating someone from loved ones or social contact.
3. Manipulation or excessive control over decisions.
4. Harassment and cyberbullying.
5. Sexual harassment.

Can I face abuse in my home?

This is no doubt that abuse can happen anywhere we spend our time during the day. You can be on a risk of experiencing abuse at home if certain risk factors are present.  

Let’s discuss them one by one:

1. If you are socially isolated and lack regular contact with family, you may feel vulnerable to abuse around them.
2. Similarly, if you have communication issues or memory problems, you may struggle to report concerns to your family members.
3. Sometimes, if you are dependent on the carer for your daily needs power imbalance occurs, and the person with the most power can exploit you in every way he can.
4. If the carer is addicted to alcohol consumption or drug intake, they contribute to misunderstandings in the relationships.
5. Abuse at home may also occur if the caretaker is financially reliant on the person dependent on them. Such a person may also lack emotional resilience and can financially exploit the people living with them.
6. Recognizing these risk factors of abuse helps ensure that appropriate safeguarding procedures in health and social care can be implemented.

What can I do If I am Being Abused or Neglected?

If you want to report your concerns on any type of physical abuse, then the first thing you can do is to call emergency services. To prevent further harm, consider reporting your concerns to someone you know. In extreme conditions of abuse, don’t confront the suspected abuser directly, but contact the social services, like the GP near you.

Next, you have to report suspicions of abuse to care workers or the safeguarding team so that they can take immediate action to ensure your safety and well-being. If you suspect an individual has committed a crime like financial abuse or physical abuse, contact the police or someone to act for you.

How Can I Spot the Signs and Symptoms of Abuse in Older People?

The signs and symptoms of abuse are often not visible, and it is difficult to identify abuse in a person who is hiding it.

If an individual is facing abuse, he might not interact with many people, or he might make excuses for injuries he has on his body. Many people also don’t recognize that being short on money can be a sign of financial exploitation.

It is important to understand the behavioral changes of elderly people to safeguard them from further harm. If someone is being abused, then as a social care worker, it is your responsibility to take action immediately, as described in academic support resources for social care roles, so that the matter does not escalate.

The following are some warning signs of abuse in older people

• If they become isolated from other members of the community
• They are irritated and show aggression without any reason.
• They have an unhygienic appearance, and they are malnourished.
• If an elderly person has been abused, they will show signs and symptoms such as bruises, wounds, and untreated fractures on the body.
• If an elderly person refuses to stay alone, or shows unrealistic behavior like laughing at important situations.

You can also look for environmental signs and symptoms of abuse in elderly people, like:

• Their living space is in a care setting, or their home might be very dirty and extremely cold.
• Similarly, if an elderly person is living under coercive control, then they might suddenly face financial issues and find it difficult to make ends meet. 

If abuse is suspected in a person, start a supportive conversation that helps them feel heard. If they have a habit of hiding it, they will likely stay quiet even though they want to talk.

Stick to your organisation’s safeguarding policies and procedures, share any concerns with the DSL, and keep a record of any facts you notice as part of your duty of care in healthcare settings.

I Know Someone is Being Abused. How can I help?

If a person is being abused, it is important to take action and call the adult safeguarding teams to prevent the situation from further escalation. You can also talk to the individual in a secure place and notice physical signs of abuse, such as underweight, fear, bruises, or social seclusion in their behavior.

Allow the person to explain every situation, but do not expect them to have an in-depth conversation because they are scared of the people around them. Don’t ask them too many questions because they are scared of facing future threats from the victim.

If you suspect abuse and crime at that time, then call the police immediately to safeguard individuals from abuse. Don’t move away from them until and unless the help reaches. However, in some cases, you can use the whistleblowing technique and report your concerns directly to external individuals like the Care Quality Commission (CQC), local bodies, or private organizations.

While talking to them, make sure that you write down every detail of the abuse as dictated by the individual. Also, if there is any evidence of abuse, then save them in a secure bag because this can be important proof during legal proceedings. 

In many cases, the person being abused might be injured. In such cases, give them medical attention and ensure their safety and well-being.  You can also inquire about the relevant information, but remember the legal and ethical guidelines of your organisation. Keep their interview confidential and reassure them that they are not alone in this situation.

Explain the action you might take further to protect them from danger after the disclosures of abuse. Lastly, record the interview in the form of a document that is signed and marked with the date and location of the report, aligning with standards for documentation in healthcare assessments.

Remember, if you are a social worker, then safeguarding adults from abuse is your first responsibility.