WEE County residents are being urged to act on their instincts if they think an adult is being harmed, neglected or taken advantage of.

Clackmannanshire Council is supporting the Scottish Government’s ‘Adult Support and Protection’ campaign which aims to raise awareness of adult harm and encourages people to act on their gut feeling, if they think someone may be experiencing harm or is at risk of it.

Council leader Les Sharp said: “If you thought a child was at risk of harm, you would do something about it. It should be no different for an adult. But many people are not aware of adult harm or of the need to act on their concerns about others.

“It’s not always easy to tell if an adult is in trouble. But there are signs and situations to be aware of. For example, a person may have unexplained cuts and bruises, or refuse to talk about injuries.

“They may be failing to look after themselves or their property, or are confused where their money has gone, or are giving money to people they know for reasons that might concern you.

“They may appear quiet, withdrawn or nervous around certain people, or get upset at the mention of their relationship, or may constantly be having people – friends or strangers - ‘hanging out’ at their house.

“Adult harm can affect anybody, but people who can’t look after or stand up for themselves can be particularly at risk, whether through factors such as personal circumstances, physical or learning disability, age or illness and injury. We all have a duty to look out for people in our communities.” Adult harm can take many forms, including physical, financial, sexual harm and neglect.

According to the Forth Valley Adult Support and Protection Committee Biennial Report 2012-14, discussed at the January meeting of the Housing, Health and Care Committee, there were 173 adult support and protection referrals in 2012-2013 in Clackmannanshire and 112 referrals in 2013-2014.

It stated that people aged 75 and over made up 47 per cent of all referrals in the county during the reporting period and this pattern is replicated in Forth Valley as a whole.

There was a higher proportion of women harmed than men, perhaps reflecting the demographics of the older population.

Councillor Les Sharp said people can often have an instinctual feeling that someone is being harmed or is at risk – a sense that something is not right.

He added: “By acting on this, they could help a person who is at risk to overcome the situation and become safe from harm.

“We know sometimes people don’t want to get involved, for fear of being seen to intrude on other people’s privacy or that they might be wrong about the situation and subject another person to unfair accusations. But it is vital that they do raise concerns with their local council.

“And it is safe to do – you don’t need to provide your personal details and we will check the situation sensitively and support will be given, if needed. The message is simple – if you think an adult is at risk of harm and something feels wrong, you’re right to get it checked out. If you see something, say something.” You can report any concerns to the council by calling 01259 450000 during working hours and by calling the emergency duty team on 0845 3277 7000 out of hours.