Types of Abuse

Physical abuse:
Physical abuse is sustained abuse where people are being punched, kicked, beaten, it is anything thing that brings physical harm to others.
Signs/symptoms:
Where somebody is being physically assaulted either by family, friends, carers or people they live with. The signs could be that they seem to be very withdrawn and scared to talk to people. They could have physical marks on their body, bruises, burns that they can’t or don’t want to explain to others. They could lose self-confidence and not take care in their physical appearance and seem dirty in the clothes they wear and their personal hygiene.
Sexual abuse:
Sexual abuse is where somebody is being raped, groped, or inappropriately touched in any way that they did not give permission for over an extended time and is classed as sexual abuse.
Signs/symptoms
People who are suffering abuse might have bruising that they can’t explain or pain/infection in their genital area coming across as very scared of people of the opposite sex. Not wanting physical contact with others or flinching when people come to close to them. Another sign is that victims might become overly sexualised and use language that they might not have used before and speak about sexual things which could be completely out of character.
Emotional/Psychological abuse:
Emotional/psychological abuse is where somebody is being exposed to language or behaviour that makes them feel threatened. It is where they feel they are being dominated by others and made to feel anxious and depressed. This could put the victim off doing tasks because they’ve been made to feel like they’re not good enough.
Signs/symptoms:
The victim could be withdrawn from the community and not want to interact with friends or join in in doing tasks; it could affect the way they used to do things and their ability to learn new skills.
They could be seen to overly impress certain people because they’ve been made to believe that they are not good enough and can’t complete tasks so they feel that they have to show the person who is emotionally abusing them.

Financial abuse
Financial abuse is where somebody is having their money and possessions taken away from them by people they have trusted.
Signs/symptoms:
The person being abused could have a lack of money to pay bills and to buy food and have items missing from their home because the abuser has taken them or the victims have had to sell them to make up the money that has been taken. The person could start hiding their possessions and money in an attempt to keep them safe from people taking them. The victim could complain that they are hungry because they have no money to feed themselves.
Institutional abuse
Institutional abuse happens in the setting of care facilities, i.e. care home, children’s home, residential housing for people with disabilities and others. The abuse they can receive could be that they are not being cared for properly and that they don’t have a support plan in place to show the care that they need so they end up getting care that doesn’t suit their needs. It could be that they have disabilities that stop them from doing certain tasks but this isn’t taken in and then the victim is put in danger/discomfort completing tasks where equipment is not suited to their needs. It could be that the