Sexual Abuse of the Elderly
Sexual abuse is one of the most understudied aspects of elder mistreatment. An NIJ-sponsored study that examined elder sexual abuse found that: [1]
- 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.
Note
[1] 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 Created: November 8, 2007