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Examples of Abuse, Assault and Neglect

It is important to note that acts of abuse, assault and neglect are not limited to the examples below. This is a very limited list of possible examples and should not be construed as being a complete or comprehensive list of examples.1

Physical abuse	non-accidental actions causing injuries, such as bruising, lacerations or welts, burns, fractures or dislocations threats of violence refusing consumers of a service food because they have not done what they were asked to do hitting, smacking, biting, shaking or kicking pulling arms, hair or ears bending back fingers or bending an arm up behind the back placing hot substances in the mouth for swearing leaving consumers in clothing or bedding that has been soiled physically restraining a consumer of a service which is not justified, authorised or excused by law inappropriate use of medication including the unauthorised use of medication as a chemical restraint
Psychological/ emotional abuse	humiliating consumers of a service for losing control of their bladder or bowels shouting orders to consumers of a service using humiliating names when speaking to consumers of a service treating adult consumers of a service as children humiliation, emotional blackmail, blaming, swearing, intimidation, name calling or isolation from friends and relatives the use of social isolation (ignoring consumers of a service) staff locking consumers of a service in their bedroom using other consumers of a service to provide physical control over another consumer of a service harassing consumers of a service to eat food they don’t want to eat (or which is contrary to their cultural or religious beliefs)
Financial abuse	denying consumers of a service access to or control over their money and personal finances taking money or other property of consumers of a service without their consent (which is likely to also constitute a criminal offence) or where their consent is fraudulently obtained misappropriation of money, valuables or property changes to wills or other legal documents, by coercion, misrepresentation or where consent for changes was fraudulently obtained denying the consumer access to information or documentation concerning their personal finances or individualised funding package personal use of a consumer’s telephone by staff which is not recorded or reimbursed, leaving the consumer to pay the cost of the calls staff borrowing clients possessions even for a brief period, eg CDs, lawn mowers etc staff purchasing client’s possessions at grossly below the real and accepted value of the item staff using clients vehicle for their own purposes
Neglect	staff assisting consumers of a service to eat and drink in an incorrect or hurried and rushed manner, causing physical discomfort, illness, injury or resulting in or contributing to death failure to provide consumers of a service adequate food, shelter, clothing or basic personal health care staff giving one consumer of a service another consumer of a service’s medication because it is similar staff giving over the counter medication to a consumer of a service without first checking with the consumer’s doctor for appropriateness or any potential harmful side affects staff continue to administer medication to a consumer of a service after the use by date has expired staff not utilising a consumer’s communication devices to allow the expression of needs, choices or preferences failure of staff to recognise or acknowledge non-verbal messages conveyed by consumers of a service who have limited communication abilities staff leaving consumers of a service alone in a vehicle for extended periods staff not obtaining or seeking the appropriate medical, specialist, therapy or other allied health support for a consumer based on the identified individual need staff not ensuring that a consumer has access to regular medical support including assessments for medication blood levels, blood pressure, diet and nutrition or access to regular health screening tests

1 Adapted and amended with permission from the NSW Ageing and Disability Department, draft version of Prevention and Management of Abuse and Assault, Policy and Guidelines.

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Last updated February 2008