What can you do?

There are ways to get help for yourself or someone who is being abused or neglected. Remember that abuse and neglect can affect anyone.

If you decide to report suspected abuse or neglect to Fraser Health, your name will be kept confidential.

For more information, visit our Getting Help page.

Understanding abuse and neglect

Abuse can happen anywhere, in a private home, or a public place. People who abuse others do so for many reasons. But the main reason for someone being abusive is that they want to have power and control over another person.

Anyone can be vulnerable to abuse in different situations, such as an adult who has a physical disability or a condition that makes it hard for them to make decisions about their own care and well being.

No one deserves to be abused, and it is never the fault of the person who is being abused. Sometimes they need to get help to stop the abuse.

Anyone can become a victim. But abusers will continue to abuse people if they think they can do so without getting caught.

No matter what kind of abuse, there is help for people in all these different types of abusive situations described.  For more information, visit our Getting Help page.

Speak up about abuse and neglect

Even though there is no law that says people must report adult abuse and neglect in British Columbia, as a community we want to help out those who are in need, or at risk. There are and services to assist you if you decide to act on a situation of abuse against yourself, or someone else.

If you decide to report suspected abuse or neglect to Fraser Health, your name will be kept confidential.