Thousands of safeguarding concerns have been raised about vulnerable adults in Cambridgeshire.
According to figures published by NHS Digital, 35,355 safeguarding concerns were reported to or identified by Cambridgeshire County Council between 2019-23.
National sexual violence and safeguarding organisation LimeCulture said robust safeguarding processes are essential for the protection of disabled people.
Across England, there were an estimated 587,970 concerns of abuse raised during 2022-23, an increase of nine per cent on the previous year.
Sam Whyte, director of sexual violence services at LimeCulture, said: “Adults with disabilities are disproportionately more likely to experience abuse, including domestic abuse and sexual violence.
“They also face significant barriers to disclosing abuse and seeking support that often make them more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.
“Individuals may be unable to ask for help or prevented from doing so; they may fear not being believed or being judged; they may not know where to go for help; or may not be confident in the ability of services to support them due to previous experiences.”
The figures reveal that among the number of safeguarding risks identified over the last five years, 2,065 related to neglect and acts of omission.
Neglect and acts of omission can range from ignoring medical advice or physical care needs to withholding the necessities of life, such as medication or adequate nutrition.
A further 1,115 risks identified involved physical abuse, while 1,105 cases related to financial or material abuse, which can include theft, fraud, exploitation, or the misappropriation of property.
Meanwhile, 650 cases involving psychological abuse were reported to or identified by Cambridgeshire County Council, along with 420 cases of domestic abuse and 360 incidents involving sexual abuse.
A spokesperson for NHS Cambridgeshire & Peterborough said: "We recognise safeguarding is everybody's business. ICB staff work with partners across the Integrated Care System to identify and respond to any safeguarding concerns, to protect and support vulnerable local people.
"Anyone with concerns about a person's wellbeing and safety can report this by reaching out to the council. If you're worried about a loved one, please make contact - your actions could save lives."
It comes as data published by the Office for National Statistics in March 2021 found disabled people were nearly three times more likely to have experienced domestic abuse in 2020 than non-disabled people.
A spokesperson for Disability Rights UK said: “It is difficult to make a judgement from the figures as to whether the number of incidents is higher than it should be, as good processes will result in more reports.
“Lessons must be learnt from the incidents that inform staff training, policy improvement and better services and support for disabled people.”
If councils believe an adult with care and support needs is experiencing or is at risk of abuse or neglect, they must carry out a section 42 enquiry to determine whether they need to act.
Cambridgeshire County Council completed 4,895 enquiries between 2019-23.
A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire County Council said: “Cambridgeshire County Council's Adult Social Care Service works with partner organisations to ensure adults needing care and support can live free of abuse and harassment.
“This work includes actively promoting the empowerment and wellbeing of adults with care and support needs to enable them to safeguard themselves and ensuring there are local multi-agency policies and procedures in place to help anyone at risk of harm or abuse.
“The council recognises that adults who experience abuse do not always report it. While more support can help encourage reporting, this issue extends beyond the local authority.”
A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Constabulary added: “Cambridgeshire Constabulary is committed to safeguarding adults across a range of vulnerabilities including domestic abuse, sexual violence, and abuse/neglect.
“We have a dedicated Protecting Vulnerable People department who, through specially trained officers, work tirelessly to protect vulnerable adults, prevent harm, and robustly seek to bring perpetrators to justice.
They added: “Our officers undergo specialist training to engage with vulnerable victims and through multi-agency working, ensure extensive support is offered including the use of advocates and intermediaries to encourage reporting of offences and concerns.”
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