Safeguarding
Safety in our community is our priority, and we know abuse can happen to anyone.
Find out how to recognise the signs and where to get help.
There are different types of abuse. This might sound obvious, but often it can be hard to identify as abuse victims often suffer more that one type at a time.
Physical Abuse
Any intentional act causing physical harm, injury or trauma to another person through bodily contact, force or the use of weapons.
Punching slapping, kicking, hitting, pinching, biting, scratching, pulling hair, rough handling, using belts, sticks or other weapons, or throwing objects at a person. Shaking, choking, strangulation, improper restraint, burning, scalding, drowning, forcing someone to digest dangerous substances. Force feeding, starving, denying access to food, water or toilet facilities.
Mental Abuse
Regular and deliberate use of words and non-physical actions to manipulate, hurt, weaken, or frighten a person and to distort, confuse or influence their thoughts and actions. To control and isolate another person.
Threats, insults, constant monitoring, excessive jealousy, manipulation, humiliation, intimidation, dismissiveness, yelling and name calling.
Emotional Abuse
Consistent pattern of behaviour used to control, undermine, humiliate or frighten someone, causing psychological trauma.
Gaslighting, isolation, intense jealousy, verbal insults and threats to destroy self-worth. Monitoring communications, controlling finances and manipulating reality.
Sexual Abuse
Any unwanted, coercive or non-consensual behaviour of a sexual nature imposed by one person on another.
Physical, verbal or online acts that cause distress, fear or humiliation. Lack of consent, power imbalance (exploiting a position of power, trust or authority). Touching, assault, rape, exposure, grooming, showing images, unwanted touching, kissing or penetration. Forced watching porn, pressured participation in sexual acts. Trafficking and prostitution.
Signs of Abuse
Physical evidence of abuse such as bruising, cuts, broken bones. Fear of outside intervention. Change in a person’s demeanour or language used. A person becoming isolated i.e. refusing to join friends for a ‘catch up’ where normally they would. Signs of malnutrition. Self-harming. Poor concentration, withdrawal from situations they might normally be comfortable in or to become more quiet.
Where Can I get help?
All abuse can be reported at places you may regularly visit, such as your GP or School. You can report it to the Police, by phone or online and of course, you can report it to us.
We have partnerd with another community interest company who’s focus IS Safeguarding.
Kent Safeguarding and Attendance Foundation (K.S.A.F) are taking the lead and when it comes to safeguarding at Matters2Me CIC. We know, that with all the things we want to do, focus can sometimes be lost whilst we are moving onto our next project. To ensure this doesn’t happen, we partner with companies who will keep that focus in place in everything we do. K.S.A.F will ensure that all staff and volunteers are D.B.S checked and there on hand when needed. We have our own safeguarding lead who will be a liason, to work with the community when these difficult situations arise and ensure that everyone embrace their right to live in safety.
When to Report
If you are still unsure when to report, you are experiencing, or want to report abuse, you can use our contact form below and send our safeguarding lead a message or email us at Safeguarding@matters.me.uk