Report abuse

Some people don't want to tell others that they are being abused. This may be because they don't want the person to get into trouble. They may prefer to ignore the problem in the hope that it will go away. Other people are ashamed or afraid of what will happen to them if they tell. If you think you are being abused it is not your fault and there are ways in which you can get help. Don't ignore the problem, it will probably not go away on its own.

Getting help from social services

If you don't think you need immediate help from the police or are worried about calling them, then you can call social services. It is important to remember that if you are being abused, it is not your fault. Don't worry about telling others that you think you are being abused - it is important that you get help. If you want, you can ask someone else to contact social services on your behalf. Your call can remain anonymous and everything you say will be kept confidential. To report a concern contact Sutton Council's Adults and Safeguarding Referral Point on 020 8770 6770, or make a report online.  You can call after 5 pm or at the weekend - do not wait until the next working day. Calls at these times are dealt with by the Emergency Duty Team. All calls are dealt with confidentially.

What will happen next?

A member of staff will respond as quickly as possible. They will usually ask your permission - or the permission of the vulnerable person you are worried about - before they do anything, or share any information about the situation with other people. The only exceptions to this are in situations where others may also be at risk of abuse, or if the person is not able to make their own decisions because of a lack of mental capacity.

Getting help from the Police

Where the abuse is also a crime, such as assault, racial harassment, rape or theft, call the police on 999. You should always do this if you are worried that you or someone you know is in immediate danger.

If you cannot make voice calls, you can now contact the 999 emergency services by SMS text from your mobile phone. However, you will only be able to use this service if you have registered with emergencySMS first. There is a British Sign Language video explaining the service.

In less urgent cases you can contact the police without using the emergency 999 service:

• call the central police reporting line on 101 (the police non-emergency number) to report a previous incident
• visit your local police station - find it here
• Contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team

Other organisations that can help

Care Quality Commission (CQC)

If you are concerned about possible abuse or neglect in a residential, hospital or domiciliary care service, you can contact to CQC at enquiries@cqc.org.uk or by using the CQC Notification Form. 

Organisations that provide advice, help and support

The following organisations can provide advice and support:

• Action on Elder Abuse helpline 0808 808 8141
• Age UK (previously known as Age Concern and Help the Aged)
• Victim Support is the national independent charity that offers support to victims of crime. It will help by providing you with information, practical help and emotional support.
  Its services are confidential, free and available to everyone. Victim Support accepts referrals from official and other organisations as well as self-referrals from individuals, whether or not you want to report the crime to the police and regardless of when it happened. National support line, tel 0845 30 30 900 9 am to 9 pm weekdays and 9am to 7pm weekends or supportline@victimsupport.org.uk
  You can contact Victim Support in Sutton as follows:
  Sutton One Stop Shop, Sutton Baptist Church, 121 Cheam Road, Sutton SM1 1SN
  The free drop-in service is open on Wednesdays from 9:30am - 11:30am
  for more information, contact: 020 7801 1777

Safeguarding of children and young people

This page is about vulnerable people who are over 18. If you are concerned about the safety or welfare of a child or a young person, contact children's safeguarding immediately.

Other information and advice

Advice for People with Learning Disabilities can be seen in a Mencap blog about bullying.

Suffolk County Council has produced an excellent video which explains more about abuse and neglect, and may be particularly helpful for people with learning disabilities or dementia.

Easy Health has easy-read leaflets and videos which will help people with learning disabilities to understand what abuse is, and to know what to do if they think they are being subjected to abuse. View the leaflets