We’re committed to preventing abuse and responding promptly when abuse is suspected. This webpage tells you how to report abuse.
More information
Abuse can happen anywhere – in a residential or nursing home, in a hospital, in the workplace, at a day centre or educational establishment, in supported housing or in the street.
Forms of abuse include:
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physical abuse such as hitting, pushing, pinching, shaking, misusing medication, scalding, restraining, hair-pulling
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sexual abuse such as rape, sexual assault or sexual acts to which a vulnerable adult could not have consented, or where they were pressurised into consenting
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psychological or emotional abuse such as threats of harm or abandonment, being deprived of social contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, or being prevented from receiving services or support
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financial or material abuse such as theft, fraud or exploitation, pressure in connection with wills, property, or inheritance, misuse of property, possessions or benefits
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neglect such as ignoring medical or physical care needs, preventing access to services or withholding food, drink or heating
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discriminatory abuse – harassment or slurs based on a person’s race, sexuality or disability
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institutional abuse – abuse in residential homes, nursing homes or hospitals when people are mistreated because of poor or inadequate care, neglect or poor working practices.
Any of these forms of abuse can be deliberate or the result of ignorance. Often, if a person is being abused in one way, they are also being abused in other ways.
The person (or people) responsible for the abuse are often very well know to the person who is being abused. They could be:
- a relative, friend or neighbour
- a health worker, social worker or other worker
- another resident or service user
- an occasional visitor or someone who is providing a service
- someone who deliberately exploits vulnerable people.
Anyone who is concerned that an adult is being subjected to harm abuse or neglect should contact us using the details below:
- Office address: 1 Grey Friars, Leicester LE1 5PH
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm
For emergencies only, outside of office hours and at weekends and bank holidays, telephone 0116 255 1606.
If you report abuse to us, we will talk to you about it as soon as possible. If there is immediate danger, we will aim to visit you, or the person you are concerned about, straight away.
If there is a significant risk of harm, we will aim to visit within 24 hours.
For other reports of abuse, we will normally visit within five working days.
We will work with the person who is being abused to help them make any decisions. We will provide help and support, and take action to try to end the abuse and ensure it doesn’t happen again.
We will not normally share information with other people without getting the permission of the person who is being abused. The only exceptions to this are in situations where others may be at risk of abuse, or where the person is not able to make decisions for themselves because of mental disability.
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