Abuse is when someone:
- Treats another person badly or unfairly
- Upsets, frightens, or controls them
- Uses power over them
- Causes harm to their body, mind, or feelings
Abuse can happen anywhere and can be done by anyone.
📚 Source: Gwent Safeguarding Easy Read guidance
Types of Abuse (Easy Read Overview)
Abuse can include many different forms:
Physical abuse
- Hitting
- Slapping
- Pushing
- Causing physical harm
Emotional abuse
- Being shouted at or insulted
- Being made to feel worthless
- Being ignored or rejected
- Being made to feel scared or upset
Sexual abuse
- Unwanted sexual contact
- Being forced or pressured into sexual activity
- Being made to feel uncomfortable sexually
Financial abuse
- Taking someone’s money
- Controlling someone’s money
- Using someone’s money without permission
Neglect
- Not giving proper care
- Not giving food, support, or medical help
- Not meeting basic needs
Discriminatory abuse
- Treating someone unfairly because of:
- Disability
- Race
- Age
- Gender
- Religion
- Identity
Hate crime
- Hurting or threatening someone because of who they are
- This is a criminal offence
Other types (also recognised in safeguarding)
- Bullying
- Mate crime (fake friendship for control or exploitation)
- Modern slavery
- Domestic abuse
- Organisational abuse (in care settings)
📚 These categories are consistent across UK safeguarding guidance
What Abuse Can Look Like in Real Life
Abuse can happen:
- At home
- In relationships
- In care settings
- In the community
- Online
It can be:
- A one-off incident
- Or repeated over time
Signs Someone May Be Experiencing Abuse
A person may:
- Look frightened or anxious
- Avoid certain people
- Have unexplained injuries
- Stop seeing friends or family
- Seem confused or withdrawn
- Appear controlled by someone else
Important Safeguarding Messages
1. Abuse is never okay
- Abuse is always wrong
- Everyone has the right to be safe
2. Abuse is not always visible
- It can be emotional or hidden
- It can happen from someone trusted
3. Anyone can experience abuse
- Children
- Adults
- Older people
- People with disabilities
4. Abuse is about power and control
- It is about one person having control over another
- It is not about misunderstanding or accidents
What to Do if You Are Worried
If you think someone is being abused:
- Listen to them
- Believe them
- Do not blame them
- Tell a trusted professional or safeguarding service
Key Message (Easy Read Summary)
- Abuse is when someone is hurt, controlled, or frightened by another person
- Abuse can be physical, emotional, sexual, financial, or neglect
- Abuse is never the victim’s fault
- Everyone has the right to be safe
Training Link (Gwent Safeguarding Resource Hub)
You can access the full Easy Read booklet and related safeguarding resources here:
No comments:
Post a Comment