The National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline is a free, independent and confidential service for reporting the mistreatment of people with disability.
How to make a report
The Hotline is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 7 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) and Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time (AEDST), excluding Australian national public holidays.
To make a report:
- Call 1800 880 052 (toll-free) and speak with an experienced Hotline staff member
- Callers who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment can contact the National Relay Service (NRS) by calling 1800 555 677, then asking for 1800 880 052
- Callers from a non-English speaking background can use the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) by calling 13 14 50
- Send an email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Who can make a report?
Anyone can contact the Hotline – family members, friends, service providers or the person with a disability themselves.
What is abuse?
Abuse is not to be tolerated and comes in many forms:
- Physical abuse, where someone hits or beats a person with a disability
- Mental or psychological abuse where someone is called names yelled at or ignored
- Financial abuse is where money is taken from a person with a disability or they are denied access to their funds
- Sexual abuse is where an individual is forced to have sex or subject to unwanted touching.
What is neglect?
People with disability are also vulnerable to neglect:
- Being denied basic things such as food, medicine, and clothes or making them feel unsafe
- Being confined to their room or not being allowed, visitors.
What if you're not sure?
You can contact the Hotline if you are unsure whether it is actually abuse or neglect and they can help clarify the situation. The Hotline also accepts anonymous reports.
Factsheet: 
The National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline
