What Is Patient's Mental or Moral Abuse?

Mental or moral abuse against a patient has frequently taken place in history, most commonly against psychiatric patients. Abuse still takes place against patients in protective settings through neglect, sexual abuse, including rape by protectors in the hospital and through verbal abuse or cruelty.

Psychological Violence

• Psychological violence, or emotional abuse, is one form of abuse that can be directed on patients in psychiatric facilities. While mental health patients benefit from compassion, some can be difficult to deal with. Staff can resort to psychological violence through threats, intimidation, pressure, displays of anger and forms of unwarranted (non-violent) punishment when dealing with patients.

Sexual Abuse

• Neglect and improper supervision can lead to sexual abuse in the hospital setting by other patients. Mental health workers have occasionally been guilty of raping or otherwise sexually abusing patients in hospitals.

Funding, Training, Supervision

• Solutions to this ongoing problem have been sought in the United States for close to 200 years, with some success. The condition of state mental health facilities are much improved compared to what they were in other times in history. However, more funding is needed for adequate mental health facilities.

  Ongoing training for mental health workers can help the situation. Closer supervision and mandatory reporting of incidents can also help create an atmosphere where abuse of any type against psychiatric patients is a rarity.