Categories and definitions of abuse

Abuse can happen anywhere - in a residential or nursing home, a hospital, in the workplace, at a day centre or educational establishment, in supported housing, in the street or in the vulnerable adult's own home.

The 5 categories of abuse, as cited within the Social Services Well Being Act (Wales) 2014, are listed below:

Emotional abuse or psychological abuse

Emotional or psychological abuse is the wilful infliction of mental suffering, by a person in a position or expectation of trust, to a vulnerable person

Financial abuse

Financial or material abuse is any theft or misuse of a person's money, property or resources by a person in a position of, or expectation of, trust to a vulnerable person. Common forms of financial abuse are misuse by others of a vulnerable adult's state benefits or undue pressure to change wills. Financial/material abuse may also be perpetrated by one vulnerable adult upon another

Neglect

Neglect is the failure of any person having the responsibility, charge, care or custody of a vulnerable person to provide that degree of care which a reasonable person in a like position would provide

Physical abuse

Physical abuse is any physical pain, suffering or injury wilfully inflicted by a person who has responsibility, charge, care, or custody of, or who stands in a position of or expectation of trust to a vulnerable person

Sexual abuse

Adult sexual abuse refers to the direct or indirect involvement of a vulnerable adult in sexual activity to which they are unwilling or unable to give informed consent, or which they do not fully comprehend, or which violates the social taboos of family roles