Defending Your Rights

Disability Rights Publications:
No One Deserves to be Hurt: Report Incidents of Abuse, Neglect and Financial Exploitation

People with disabilities are at a higher risk of abuse, neglect or financial exploitation than people without disabilities. To ensure that people with disabilities who are victims of abuse, neglect or financial exploitation get the support they need, call for help.

Some Types of Abuse

• Physical Abuse
• Willful Depreviation
• Sexual Abuse
• Emotional Abuse
• Intimidation
• Isolation
• Financial Exploitation
• Neglect

Indicators Of Abuse, Neglect or Financial Exploitation

• The person with disabilities has unexplained bruises or cuts on his or   her body that could not have been caused by an accident.
• The person with disabilities has health problems that are not being   treated.
• The caregiver of the person with disabilities does not allow him or her to   have visitors.
• Someone in a position of trust who has access to the person with   disabilities’ money seems to be using the money for themselves.
• The person with disabilities does not have adequate food, clothing or   personal care items when there is enough money to purchase them.
• The personal items of a person with disabilities continually disappear.
• The financial assets of a person with disabilities are transferred without   his or her approval.

Call For Help
Agencies that can help and their telephone numbers are listed below. Callers reporting abuse, neglect or financial exploitation may be asked to provide:

• Name and address of the victim.
• Name and address of the abuser.
• Nature and extent of the injury or condition that resulted from the   alleged abuse, neglect or financial exploitation.
• Time, date, and location of the incident.
• Your name and address. (The identity of the person making the report   will not be disclosed except with their written permission or an order of   the court.)
• When did you last see the victim?
• Any other information you think would be useful in assessing the   suspected abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation.

Crime Victims Compensation
If you are a victim or related to a victim of a violent crime, you may be eligible for financial assistance through the Crime Victims Compensation Program. For information call (800) 228-3368 (voice/TTY).

If you believe a person with a disability is being abused, neglected, or financially exploited, call for help.

In case of an emergency in which the life or health of the individual is in danger, call 911 or your local police department. You should also report the incident to one of the following agencies so that other assistance and services can be provided to the victim.

To report abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of individuals 18 or over in a group home, CILA, day or residential program, or a state operated mental health or developmental disability facility, and for individuals ages 18 to 59 in a private home, call:

Office of Inspector General
Department of Human Services
(800) 368-1463 (voice/TTY)

To report abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of an individual in a nursing home, hospital, or state operated developmental disability facility call: 

Department of Public Health
(800) 252-4343
(800) 547-0466 (TTY)

To report abuse or neglect of a child from birth to age 17, call:

Department of Children and Family Services
800-252-2873 (Voice)
(800) 358-5117 (TTY)

To report abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of a person age sixty or over, call:

Department on Aging
(800) 252-8966 (voice/TTY)
(8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
(800) 279-0400
(after working hours and on weekends)

No one deserves to be hurt. However, studies show that people with disabilities are at a
significantly higher risk of abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation than people without disabilities. As with most types of crime and crime victims, underreporting of crimes perpetrated against people with disabilities is a major problem.

To remedy this problem, and to ensure that people with disabilities get the support they
deserve, the Office of the Illinois Attorney General urges you to report incidents of abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation to the proper authorities. In addition to investigating the incident, agencies can provide valuable assistance to the person with a disability.

The information in this brochure will assist you in determining where to file a complaint. If you need additional information, please call the Disability Rights Bureau at (217) 524-2660 or 1-877-844-5461 (TTY).

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