Adult Safety: Group Steps Up Borough-wide Campaign Against 'Abuse'

by Benson Agoha

"If someone abuses you..tell someone!"

This is the message Royal Greenwich, in partnership with the Greenwich Safeguarding Adults Multi-Agency Group (GSA),  has been communicating as they stepped up campaign against adult abuse.

 

'It is not just children that are at the risk of abuse', a campaign member told Woolwich Online, "adult's too can be at risk of abuse from other adults, or even from children."

 

The group define 'an adult at risk' as "..anyone over the age of 18 years, who is unable to protect themselves from any kind of harm or injury due to their age, illlness or disability."

 

Older people, people with isual or hearing impairment, people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities or mental helath problems, fall under the above definition.

 

The GSA aims to make adults feel safe in the Royal Borough of Greenwich and defines 'adult abuse' as when adults are treated badly anywhere such as at home, work, school, hospital, care homes or in public places. And says abuse may also occur over the telephone or on the internet, by emails or in chat rooms, where people maybe bullied or discriminated against.

 

Other forms of abuse include physical abuse (when adults are tratd roughly, hurt, kicked, punched or hit with a hard object), Emotional Abuse (when someone tries to upset or scare you, makes you feel bad by shouting, swearing or calling you names).

 

Abuse may also be by way of neglect (when an adult is not looked after properly, maybe put in danger, may not be given food or medicine or not assisted to keep themselves clean). Financial and sexual abuses are also included.

For enquires or to request copies of the "Stop Abuse Leaflet", send email to adultprotection@royalgreenwich.gov.uk.

To report any abuse, or if you suspect someone is being abused, the public is advised to contact the Greenwich Safeguarding Adults Multi Agency Group on:

 0208 921 2304 or 0208 854 8888.

But in an emergency, the number to call remain 999.

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