Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation

1
Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation

• Adapted from a presentation developed by
  Tri-Valley Developmental Services (TVDS) and
  shared with KIPBS by Julie Kent from Cohort 6

2
A Brief Profile of Abuse

• 18,000 children a year become disabled as a
  direct result of abuse 1500 per month, 50 a day
  
• It is estimated that 25-27 of children with
  disabilities sustained these disabilities as a
  direct result of abuse (Baladarian, 1991)
• A child with a functional disability has 7 times
  greater risk of being abused (NCCAN Report, 1993)
  

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• The incidence of maltreatment among children with
  disabilities was 1.7 times higher than for
  children without disabilities (Beach Center,
  1995)
• 85-95 of persons with developmental
  disabilities have been abused at some time in
  their lives (Baladarian Duehn,1996)

4

• Adults with a developmental disability are one
  and one half times more likely to be abused than
  adults without a developmental disability (D.
  Sobsey,1994)
• 98.9 of the time, the victim knows the offender
  (W. Duehn, PhD., University of Texas)

5
Stress Alarm Signals

• Minor hassles seem like a big deal
• Problems are overwhelming
• Major changes in life promotions, job changes,
  moving, birth of a child, holidays, etc.

• Options seem few or non-existent
• Individual feels
• He/she is alone
• No one seems to care
• No one will listen, such as family, friends, work
  colleagues, etc.

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What is abuse?

• Physical Abuse Any act (or failure to act)
  performed intentionally or recklessly that
  causes, or is likely to result in, harm to an
  individual including
• infliction of physical or mental injury
• unreasonable use of restraint
• isolation that harms or is likely to harm the
  person
• medication that harms or is likely to harm the
  person and
• unreasonable use of physical or chemical
  restraint (psychotropic meds) or isolation as
  punishment, in direct conflict with a physicians
  orders or in substitution for treatment of more
  concern for adults with disabilities in
  placements

7

• Sexual Abuse Any sexual act between an adult
  and a minor (under age of 16 in Kansas) or
  between two minors when there is a five-year or
  more age difference between the older perpetrator
  and the minor victim or when anyone over 16 yrs.
  old does not consent or when the perpetrator
  knows or should know that the victim is incapable
  of resisting or declining consent to the sexual
  act due to mental deficiency or disease or due to
  fear of retribution.

8

• Verbal Abuse A threat or menacing conduct
  directed towards an individual that results or
  might reasonably be expected to result in fear,
  or emotional or mental distress to the person.
  Verbal abuse refers to any degrading,
  dehumanizing, menacing or threatening
  communication used against an individual.

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Neglect is a failure to.

• Act responsibility as a caregiver/parent
• Provide proper nutrition, adequate shelter, and
  appropriate clothing
• Provide and coordinate medical care, oversight of
  medications, health and safety
• Protect from social and physical danger
• Provide education, services and supports

10
Exploitation is.

• Misappropriation of an individuals property, or
• Intentionally taking unfair advantage of an
  individuals physical or financial resources for
  another persons financial or personal advantage
  by the use of undue influence, coercion,
  harassment, duress, deception, false
  representation, or false pretense by a caretaker
  or another person.

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Who is a mandatory reporter?

• Professionals-in-training enrolled in KIPBS
  program
• Doctors
• Psychologists
• Social workers
• Nurses
• Teachers
• Staff working in community agencies e.g.
  residential, employment, mental health

• Law enforcement
• Case managers
• Guardians or conservators
• Bank trust officers
• Rehab counselors
• Administrative officers for a medical care
  facility
• Operators of care facilities