Sexual abuse in nursing homes does happen. While no one wants to think about it, the sad fact is that some caregivers victimize the elderly because they believe they are vulnerable, easy targets. Sexual abuse of the elderly is both immoral and illegal. To address, stop, and prove nursing home sexual abuse, everyone should be aware of its signs and symptoms.
Signs Your Loved One Is a Victim of Nursing Home Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse of an elderly person occurs when a perpetrator engages in any type of sexual contact or behavior without the person’s consent. Unfortunately, concrete proof that a loved one has been victimized is often lacking. In many cases, proving nursing home sexual abuse comes down to knowing the physical, behavioral, and emotional signs that may indicate sexual abuse occurred or is still occurring. These signs include:
- An elder’s report of being sexually touched, assaulted, or raped;
- An elder’s account of being shown pornography without their consent and approval;
- Sudden, unexplained changes in an elder’s behavior or personality, especially around staff members;
- Social isolation by a caregiver from family members and others;
- Injuries such as bruises, scars, or welts around the breasts or genital area;
- Torn, stained, or bloody clothing or underwear;
- Unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding;
- Unexplained infections typically transmitted by sexual contact;
- Reoccurring urinary tract infections in women who are not incontinent or catheterized; and
- Lax monitoring of other nursing home residents or visitors.
None of these signs automatically equal nursing home sexual abuse. And each may be caused by other considerations. But if you witness any of them, especially more than one, it may point to sexual abuse.
Other Risk Factors
Other risk factors that may make the presence of the aforementioned signs more likely to be from sexual abuse include:
- The elder is a woman—elderly women are much more likely than elderly men to suffer from sexual abuse;
- The elder is older—nursing home residents who are older are at greater risk of abuse; and
- The elder has dementia or Alzheimer’s—because these patients are often confused and cannot always speak cogently, these nursing home residents are at increased risk of sexual abuse.
If you suspect your loved one is suffering sexual abuse in a nursing home, don’t wait to take action. Remove them from the nursing home and contact a lawyer who specializes in elder sexual abuse and is familiar with your state’s laws as soon as possible.
Let Senior Justice Law Firm Help You
At Senior Justice Law Firm, our skilled elder abuse attorneys have helped thousands of elder abuse victims achieve justice. If you or a loved one suffered from elder abuse, let us fight to secure you the financial compensation you deserve. We have years of experience litigating against nursing homes and insurance companies and have recovered millions in settlements and verdicts. And we offer free consultations. Call 866-485-2039 now to see how our experienced and compassionate attorneys can help you.
