Program Brief

Recognizing that individuals who are 50 years of age or older who are victims of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, face unique barriers to receiving assistance, Congress created the Enhanced Training and Services to End Violence and Abuse of Women Later in Life Program (Training Grants Program)

Administered by the Office on Violence Against Women, this grant program creates a unique opportunity for providing or enhancing training and services to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, involving victims who are 50 years of age or older.

Elder Abuse

The term “elder abuse” means any action against a person who is 50 years of age or older that constitutes the willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation, or cruel punishment with resulting physical harm, pain, or mental anguish; or deprivation by a person, including a caregiver, of goods or services with the intent to cause physical harm, mental anguish, or mental illness.  Elder abuse victims face unique obstacles in seeking assistance because they often are dependent on the abusers and may not have the option to move or otherwise end the abusive relationships.

It is critical for those in the criminal and civil justice system to recognize indicators that an older individual is being abused.  These indicators may include unexplained physical injuries or contradictory explanation of injuries; changes in behavior such as withdrawal, increased agitation or depression; malnutrition; substandard care or poor physical hygiene in spite of seemingly adequate financial resources; or sudden transfers of assets to family members, caregivers, or other persons.

Older Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking

Domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking affect victims in all age groups.  However, older individuals who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking also face additional challenges in accessing services they need to enhance their safety. Appropriate interventions may be compromised by misconceptions that older persons are not victims of these types of crimes, that domestic violence does not occur or lessens in later life, or that the abuse is an expression of stress associated with caring for an aging individual.  Age or disability may increase the isolation of these victims and their dependence on abusers for care or housing. Also, these cases may go unnoticed because criminal justice system personnel may perceive a victim's injuries as arising from aging, illness, or disability instead of recognizing that the injuries may be attributed to violence in the home.

Myths about sexual assault coupled with a failure to see older individuals as sexual beings can hinder criminal justice professionals from recognizing indicators of sexual assault when dealing with older victims.  Cases of sexual assault may be explained away by claims that the older person is confused or just imagining the assault due to dementia.  Dependence on abusers for care or housing, shame or embarrassment because the abuse was committed by a family member, friend or caregiver, and/or threats of institutionalization may prevent victims from seeking help or calling the police.  Older victims may not be believed if they report stalking, particularly if the victim has dementia or psychiatric disabilities.  Training for criminal justice system personnel should address these barriers and improve systemic responses to older victims.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
Eligible entities for this program are:

• States;
• Units of local government;
• Indian tribal governments or tribal organizations; and
• Nonprofit, nongovernmental victim services organizations with demonstrated experience in assisting elderly women or demonstrated experience in addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

SCOPE OF PROGRAM
The scope of the Enhanced Training and Services to End Violence and Abuse of Women Later in Life program is outlined by the statutory language and the project summary.

A. Statutory Program Purpose
The section in the Violence Against Women Act of 2005 creating the Enhanced Training and Services to End Violence and Abuse of Women Later in Life program states that:

The Attorney General may make grants for:

“(1) training programs to assist law enforcement, prosecutors, governmental agencies, victim assistants, and relevant officers of Federal, State, tribal, territorial, and local courts in recognizing, addressing, investigating, and prosecuting instances of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking against victims who are 50 years of age or older;

(2) providing or enhancing services for victims of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, who are 50 years of age or older;

(3) creating or supporting multidisciplinary collaborative community responses to victims of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, who are 50 years of age or older; and

(4) conducting cross-training for victim service organizations, governmental agencies, courts, law enforcement, and nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations serving victims of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, who are 50 years of age or older.”

42 U.S.C. 14041a

B. Project Summary

Projects funded through the Training Grants Program will provide or enhance training and services to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, involving victims who are 50 years of age or older.  In FY 2007, OVW will fund projects that will focus on providing training for criminal justice professionals to enhance their ability to address elder abuse, neglect and exploitation in their communities.  OVW is currently working on developing curricula and guidelines regarding providing or enhancing services for older victims,  cross training, and the development or enhancement of community coordinated responses to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.  In FY 2008, OVW plans to fund projects that will provide a comprehensive approach to addressing elder abuse by providing training to criminal justice professionals, providing or enhancing services for older victims, providing cross training opportunities to other professionals working with these victims, and developing or enhancing community coordinated responses to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, involving victims who are 50 years of age or older.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Applicants for funding will be required to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding to establish and/or strengthen a true and meaningful collaborative relationship with at least four types of organizations/agencies as project partners: a) law enforcement, b) prosecutor’s office, c) a nonprofit, nongovernmental domestic violence victim services program or nonprofit,             nongovernmental sexual assault victim services program, and
d) a nonprofit program that serves elder victims.  Governmental agencies (for example Adult Protective Services, State or city departments on aging) may serve as the project partner that works with elder victims. Each partner will send one representative to a train the trainer national conference to become certified as a trainer for the project and work as part of a multi-disciplinary training team. Grantees will provide training for law enforcement officers, detectives and investigators on the local level. Grantees will encourage judges in their jurisdiction to attend a national judicial training on elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation and fully participate in evaluation of the program. Grantees will also be required to provide letters of commitment from the specific law enforcement agency(ies), prosecutor's office(s) and/or Federal, State, tribal and local court(s) whose officers and/or staff would be trained stating they will send appropriate personnel to receive training.

For more information about the Enhanced Training and Services to End Violence and Abuse of Women Later in Life Program, please contact:

Office on Violence Against Women (OVW)
800 K Street, N.W., Suite 920
Washington, D.C. 20530
Phone: 202-307-6026
Fax: 202-307-3911
TTY: 202-307-2277
Website: www.usdoj.gov/ovw