Physical abuse

Physical abuse includes assault, slapping, punching, kicking, hair-pulling, biting, and so on. However, it also includes some potentially less obvious acts, such as physical punishments, deliberately making someone physically uncomfortable (for example removing blankets) and involuntary isolation or confinement. Finally, physical abuse could take the form of unauthorised restraint/restrictions, forcible feeding or withholding food and misuse of medication (for example, over-sedation).

Possible signs or indicators of physical abuse include:

• unexplained or inconsistent explanations for injuries
• bruising, cuts, welts, burns and/or marks on the body
• frequent injuries
• unexplained falls
• subdued or changed behaviour by the person being abuse
• signs of malnutrition or unexplained weight loss
• failure to seek medical treatment or frequent changes of GP
• fractures
• bed sores
• fear
• depression
• assault (can be intentional or reckless)