Physical abuse is intentional bodily injury.
Some examples include slapping, pinching, choking, kicking, shoving, or inappropriately using drugs or physical restraints.
Sexual abuse is non-consensual sexual contact (any unwanted sexual contact).
Examples include unwanted touching, rape, sodomy, coerced nudity, sexually explicit photographing.
Mental mistreatment or emotional abuse is deliberately causing mental or emotional pain.
Examples include intimidation, coercion, ridiculing, harassment, treating an adult like a child, isolating an adult from family, friends, or regular activity, use of silence to control behaviour, and yelling or swearing which results in mental distress.
Exploitation occurs when a vulnerable person or his/her resources or income are illegally or improperly used for another person's profit or gain. Examples include illegally withdrawing money out of another person’s account, forging checks, or stealing things out of a vulnerable person’s house.
Neglect occurs when a person, either through his/her action or inaction, deprives a vulnerable adult of the care necessary to maintain the vulnerable person’s physical or mental health. Examples include not providing basic items such as food, water, clothing, a safe place to live, medicine, or health care.
Self-neglect occurs when a vulnerable person fails to provide adequately for themselves and jeopardizes his/her well-being. Examples include a vulnerable person living in hazardous, unsafe, or unsanitary living conditions or not having enough food or water.
Abandonment occurs when a vulnerable person is left without the ability to obtain necessary food, clothing, shelter, or health care. Examples include deserting a vulnerable person in a public place or leaving a vulnerable person at home without the means of getting basic life necessities.
