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Victims and Perpetrators

Victims

Determining whom the victims and abusers are is a key subject in elderly abuse and neglect requiring consideration. Most commonly affected by sexual abuse are elderly women aged 60-98+ years old, with the majority of victims between the ages of 70-80 years old.^[1] The National Elder Abuse Incidence Study (1998) supports these findings, reporting that women are more likely to experience elderly abuse in comparison to men.^[2] However, Roberto, Teaster and Nikzad (2007) reported that there are numerous cases of male victims of sexual abuse.^[3] Further, men with physical, cognitive or emotional disabilities were at an increased risk of elder sexual abuse.^[3] These incidences can happen both in the home as well as in private care institutions.^[1]

While elderly abuse tends to be considered to be the victimization of a female, Stratton and Moore (2007) argue that men are also subject to victimization and found that men are more likely than women to be victims of abandonment ^[4]. Stratton and Moore (2007) also reported that elderly men might be victims of elderly abuse by both male and female perpetrators ^[4] Stratton and Moore (2007) further reported that male victims of elderly abuse are less likely to report their situation (p.79), which could be a rationale for the higher number of abuse cases experienced by females over males. ^[4]

The National Elder Abuse Incidence Study (1998) found that victims aged 60 and older nationwide in the United States were 84 percent White, 8.3 % Black, 5.1% Hispanic, 2.1% Asian, and 0.4% Native. ^[2] Elderly abuse from racial/ethnic categories tends to be underrepresented. ^[2] This could be for a variety of reasons including failure to report, a trend traditionally seen in racial and ethnic groups. Dimah and Dimah (2002) studied elderly abuse of African Americans and its relationship with gender. ^[5] It was found that older African American’s were more likely to be victims of financial abuse and neglect. ^[5] However there were no gender differences between male and female victims. ^[5] Further, Dimah and Dimah (2002) found that that African American males and females were equally susceptible to financial exploitation and physical neglect over all other forms of elderly abuse. ^[5]

Perpetrators

The National Elder Abuse Incidence Study (1998) found that 52.2% of elderly abuse cases were involving male perpetrators, while 47.5% of the perpetrators were female.^[2] Therefore, offenders of elderly abuse and neglect are most often male, aged 16-30 years old. Furthermore, perpetrators tend to use physical force in abusive situations, even employing weapons to gain compliance in all forms of elderly abuse. ^[1] Stratton and Moore (2007) found that adult-children accounted for 47% of elderly abuse perpetrators. ^[4] Dimah and Dimah (2002) found that both male and female perpetrators studied were involved in caring for their aging relatives. ^[5] However, males, rather than females, were more often living with the victim during the period of abuse, daughters tended to be more abusive in comparison to sons. ^[5]

The National Elder Abuse Incidence Study (1998) found that females more often perpetrated neglect at 52.4% (p.4-22). Emotional and psychological abuse data showed that 60.1% of perpetrators were male (p.4-22). 62.6% were males in the case of physical abuse, while abandonment more often occurred with males as well at 83.4% (p.4-22). It is interesting to note that neglect was the only type of abuse that was about equal regarding gender of perpetrators (p.4-22). Males were more often perpetrators in all other types of elderly abuse and neglect. Karch and Nunn, (2011) found that the caregivers for victims of elder homicide were most often male, and either the husband or the son of the victim rather than the wife or daughter (p.152).

In cases of sexual elder abuse, 88.2% of the perpetrators were male while the remaining 11.8% were female (Roberto, Teaster & Nikzad, 2007, p. 1017). However, Roberto, Teaster & Nikzad importantly note that like all types of abuse, most cases of sexual abuse go unreported (p.1020). Roberto, Teaster and Nikzad (2007) state that sexual elder abuse of older men is very similar to that of females regardless of the fact that female sexual abuse occurs five times more often than male sexual abuse (p. 1021). To conclude, to prevent cases of elderly abuse and neglect, there is a strong need for victims to be educated on their rights as well as protection against abuse (Roberto, 1019).

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Notes and References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Jeary, K. (2005): Sexual abuse and sexual offending against elderly people: A focus on perpetrators and victims, Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 16:2, 328-343
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} National Center on Elder Abuse at the American Public Human Services Association In Collaboration with Westat, Inc. (1998). The national elder abuse incidence study: Final report. Washington, DC: National Aging Information Center.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Roberto, K. A., Teaster, P. B., and Nikzad, K. A. (2007). Sexual abuse of vulnerable young and old men, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 22:8, 1009-1023
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Stratton, D. C., and Moore, A. J. (2007): Fractured Relationships and the Potential for Abuse of Older Men, Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 19:1-2, 75-97
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5} Dimah, A., & Dimah, K. P. (2002). Gender differences among abused older african americans and african american abusers in an elder abuse provider agency. Journal of Black Studies, 32:5, 557-573
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} DETAILS OF REF