What is abuse or neglect?
Abuse is when someone does or says things to you to make you feel upset or frightened. You may be too scared to speak out or stop them. You may be abused on purpose, or by someone who may not realise that what they are doing is abusive. Abuse happens when someone has power over you and you do not agree to what is happening to you. It can be:
- Physical - being hit or injured on purpose
- Financial - the theft or misuse of money, property or personal possessions
- Sexual - involvement in a sexual activity which is unwanted or not understood
- Neglect - not providing food, clothing, attention or care
- Emotional - the use of threats, fears or bribes which cause distress
The people most at risk tend to be:
- people who are dependent on others
- people with mental health problems
- people with learning, sensory or physical disabilities
- people who are socially isolated
- people with dementia
Deprivation of Liberty
Some people living in hospitals and care homes can't make their own decisions about their treatment and/or care because they lack the mental capacity to do so. They need more care and protection than others to ensure they don't suffer harm. Treating and caring for people who need extra protection may mean restricting their freedom to the point of depriving them of their liberty.
In April 2009 a new piece of legislation called Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) was introduced as an amendment to the Mental Capacity Act. This legislation aims to protect a person's liberty when they are in a care home or hospital.
You can read more about Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards here.
Last reviewed: 15/03/2018