As per the case study, people who depend on others, particularly elder people are targeted by abusers the most since they are not able to stop someone else from hurting them or taking their advantage. Elderly lady couldn’t also do anything when she was being abused due to her powerlessness and dependency. But can dependant people be abused mentally or physically only? The next section of the answer explains it.Many times, people learn to abuse others from their families or parents, in particular. They may have been abused themselves by their parents or seen their parents abusing someone else. Hence, the feeling stays in the mind and abuse becomes common condition for such people.
As per department of health, adults vulnerable to abuse are defined as the people who are either of 18 years or over, and who may in need of community care services by reason of mental or physical disability, age or illness or may be unable to take care of themselves against the harm or abuse. Vulnerable adults include people as victims of domestic violence, homeless people, drug addicts, or prostitutes (Michaud, 2007). People including those who have undergone traumatic pressure are also vulnerable to various kinds of abuses. Individuals and groups are vulnerable to such abuses due to many factors. These factors include learning disability, physical disability, sight or hearing loss, severe illness, mental health problems, old age and frailty. Individuals or groups considered weak by people are the key target of abusers.
People who are abused either verbally, sexually, physically or in any other way react differently to situations. In the case scenario of an elderly lady being abused by her care take, lady felt blamed and afraid the most. Other characteristics of such people are anxious, guilty, unworthy, undeserving, inadequate and incompetent.