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Report Elder Abuse

If you suspect elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation, visit the National Center on Elder Abuse's State Elder Abuse Helplines and Hotlines Web page to find out where to report it Exit Notice.

In an emergency, call 911 or local police.

Sexual Abuse of the Elderly

Sexual abuse is one of the most understudied aspects of elder mistreatment. An NIJ-sponsored study (Burgess and Hanrahan, forthcoming) that examined elder sexual abuse found that:

  • Elderly sexual assault victims were not routinely evaluated to assess the psychological effects of an assault.
  • The older the victim, the less likelihood that the offender would be convicted of sexual abuse.
  • Perpetrators were more likely to be charged with a crime if victims exhibited signs of physical trauma.
  • Victims in assisted living situations faced a lower likelihood than those living independently that charges would be brought and the assailant found guilty.

Go to Publications on Elder Abuse

Works Cited

Burgess, A.W., and N.P. Hanrahan. "Identifying Forensic Markers in Elder Sexual Abuse." Final report to the National Institute of Justice, Grant No. 2001–IJ–CX–K015.

Date Entered: November 8, 2007