As part of Safeguarding Adults Week 2024, we wanted to explore the exploitation and abuse that someone can be subjected to.
But what is criminal exploitation?
Working with our friends at Ann Craft Trust, criminal exploitation is the deliberate abuse of power and control over another person, and taking advantage of another person or situation for criminal purposes or personal gain,
When it comes to abuse, some are more obvious than others when they occur and some are more well-known, such as physical abuse, sexual abuse or neglect.
Vulnerable groups are at high risk of a wide range of types of exploitation and abuse, including:
• Self-Neglect
• Modern slavery
• Domestic abuse
• Discriminatory abuse
• Organisational abuse
• Financial or Material abuse
• Emotional or Psychological abuse
• Cyber bullying
• Forced marriage
• Hate crime
• Radicalisation
No one type of abuse is worse than another and all concerns should be taken seriously. Even if we only suspect abuse, we need to report this swiftly to allow the correct people to investigate and take actions it abuse has taken place.
Poor practice leads to abuse
People who require support may not be aware that they have been a victim of abuse. They may be accepting that certain scenarios are “okay”, for example:
• Staff missing or losing their medication
• Staff shouting at each other or them
• People they live with being aggressive
We all have a duty to help people understand when and how they may be being abused. We all have a duty to raise concerns about poor practice as well as abuse.
The Inspired 4 Training team have worked with Derbyshire council on developing some Easy-Read resources on domestic abuse and how to keep yourself safe, which you can find here.
We also previously shared the impact of technology on abuse, and how that can be used to exploit someone, which you can also find here.
At MacIntyre we take every opportunity to inform staff how to report their safeguarding concerns internally. We also want all staff to know that their concerns can be reported externally especially if they feel their concerns are not being taken seriously enough. Available options are:
• call Protect for advice 020 3117 2520
• Speak to your Local Authority
• Report to CQC/CIW
• Talk to the Police
