Nursing home sexual abuse can take many forms, including forced
nudity, pornographic picture taking, forced viewing of pornographic
material, and unwanted sexual acts by staff members or fellow
residents. Physical signs of elder sexual abuse include bruising
around breasts or inner thighs, venereal disease, genital infections,
difficulty walking or standing, and genital bleeding. Emotional
indicators of elder sexual abuse include timid behavior, withdrawn
demeanor, sudden personality changes, and odd or misplaced comments
about sexual behavior.
Elder sexual abuse can occur when elder care facilities and nursing
homes are insufficiently staffed and residents are not properly
supervised. Improper staff training may contribute to the continuation
of abuse if caregivers are unable to recognize and identify that elder
sexual abuse is taking place and handle the situation in the
appropriate manner.
The
physical and mental impairments of some elderly nursing home residents
may make it difficult for them to defend themselves against sexual
assailants or report sexual abuse. In other cases, sexual predators
are able to intimidate their elderly victims in order to keep them
silent. Nursing home sexual abuse victims may also feel too
embarrassed or ashamed to report the abuse they have experienced.
Elderly sexual assault victims need the same services and
interventions younger victims need, such as emotional support, medical
attention, protection from the abuser, and legal assistance. Seniors
with cognitive impairments may need others to ensure their protection
from further abuse and provide needed services.
Acknowledging that elder sexual abuse does occur is an important step
in helping to prevent further assaults, as well as treating abuse
victims. Visit IQ Nursing Homes to learn more about sexual abuse in
nursing homes and the proper steps to take if elder sexual abuse is
suspected.
Article Source:
http://www.articlesbase.com/elderly-care-articles/elder-sexual-abuse-in-nursing-homes-541473.html
About the Author:
IQ Nursing Homes
offers a free elder abuse case evaluation form on their site, which
will be reviewed by a qualified elder abuse attorney within 36 hours.
Nursing home employees who have witnessed abuse have the option of
reporting it anonymously. IQ Nursing Homes has partnered with elder
abuse lawyers and nursing home abuse law firms throughout the country
with the goal of putting a stop to the victimization of the elderly.
By holding negligent staff members accountable for their actions and
making it financially devastating for elder care facilities to allow
mistreatment to occur, the tragic cycle of elder abuse can be put to
an end.
Additional Information and
webpage by Paul Susic MA Licensed
Psychologist Ph.D. Candidate
Elder sexual abuse often goes unreported, leaving victims helpless at
the hands of sexual predators. Any person who has a loved one residing
in a nursing home, assisted living facility, or elder care facility
should be aware of the signs of elder sexual abuse, as well what to do
is abuse is suspected.