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Abuse > Fact Sheet #7
FACT SHEET #7
B.C. COALITION TO ELIMINATE ABUSE OF SENIORS
FACT SHEET #7
SEXUAL
ABUSE
Sexual abuse is any kind
of sexual interaction without a senior’s full knowledge
and consent. At worst it is assault and rape. It
has been separated from physical abuse and given its own category
because the possibility of sexual abuse of seniors is so rarely
considered. Sexual abuse can take place with a confused senior,
(dementia), or confused residents in care facilities where
they may be approached by other vulnerable residents, visiting
spouses/partners, or occasionally, by care workers. Sexual
abuse can also happen to competent seniors by spouses, partners,
family members, or trusted people in their lives.
SCENARIO #1
Helen, a widow 64 years of age, had known Jim 75, and his
wife most of her life. Jim’s wife, Lil, became ill with
cancer and the last two years of her life were spent in and
out of the hospital. Helen would visit her in the hospital
and noticed that whenever the nurses mentioned Lil could go
home for awhile, she would appear anxious and often cry. Shortly
after Lil died Jim started visiting Helen daily. Six months
later he asked her to move in with him. She did and the first
week they were very comfortable together. Then Jim began to
be very aggressive sexually, attacking her in the middle of
the night. When she complained he said “Lil hadn’t
liked it much either, but kept me happy until she died.”
Helen realized the horror Lil must have endured and why she
had been anxious and tearful before her visits home. Helen
moved out of Jim’s house the next day.
SCENARIO #2
Ethel a widow 87 years of age, suffering from dementia is
living in a very pleasant care facility. One day, when a care
aid was preparing her bath Ethel started to cry and pull away
from her and hold her nightgown as tight as possible. The
nurse inspected further and discovered bruise marks over her
body. When she called another nurse to investigate the lady
in the next bed, also in stages of dementia suddenly said
“he comes in here late at night and attacks us both!”
After further investigation it was discovered that a male
care aide during the night-shift, had been sexually abusing
several of the residents who were suffering from dementia.
CONTINUUM
FOR SEXUAL ABUSE
- Jokes about a senior in his/her
presence
- Treating senior as a sex object
(ogling)
- Sexual jokes about seniors
- Not paying attention to his/
her, changing psychological needs
- Minimizing his/her feelings
and needs
- Criticisms about a senior
sexually
- Uncomfortable or unwanted
touch
- Withholding sex/affection
- Seeing need for affection
as sexual
- Sexual labels - such as “frigid”
or “dried up”
- Always wanting sex
- Senior not able to say “no”,
conditioning, dementia, other reasons
- Promiscuity
- Demanding sex with threats
- Forcing sex with self/others
- Forcing uncomfortable sex
- Sex for purpose of hurting
(use of objects/weapons)
At a state convention,
Massachusetts elder protective workers were asked to report
on cases of sexual abuse of people over 60 years of age with
whom they had worked. They were asked to describe the kinds
of sexual abuse activities these people were subjected to.
This exploratory study found that all reported victims were
female. Forty-six percent were in their 70's and 21% were
in their 80's. The most frequent suspected form of sexual
abuse was rape (61%), with the majority of these being repeated
vaginal rape. Adult sons were most often the suspected offenders
(39%) with spouses being the next most often suspected offenders
(29%)
Adapted by Connie Chapman
from Shelter Children Research
and Services Project
FACT SHEET #7
B.C. COALITION TO ELIMINATE ABUSE OF SENIORS
FACT SHEET #7
333 - 6TH STREET - NEW
WESTMINSTER, BC V3L 3A9
Telephone: (604) 521-1235
Fax: (604) 515-0201
FUNDED BY:
THE LEON AND THEA KOERNER FOUNDATION AND THE HAMBER FOUNDATION
Read
other fact sheets in this series:
This
page last updated October 25, 2000.
Copyright (c) 1996 BC
Institute Against Family Violence.
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