Many people find this hard to believe, but sexual abuse in nursing homes is a very real, growing problem in the United States. According to the Nursing Home Abuse Center, anywhere from 1-2 millions elderly adults have been the victim of some level of misconduct, abuse, or neglect while under the care of a nursing home or home caregiver. This is shocking to many, and rightfully so. Placing a loved one in a nursing home or assisted living facility is never easy, especially when you find out abuse or neglect is happening. When we make the tough decision to have our senior parents or other elderly family members live in a nursing home, we assume they will receive the care and attention they need. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. There are many different types of nursing home abuse, including physical, emotional, mental, financial, and sexual. Yes, sexual abuse in nursing homes is real and happens every single day.
Sexual abuse is one of the most gut-wrenching and serious forms of nursing home abuse, for obvious reasons. Furthermore, sexual abuse is one of the least reported forms of abuse. This type of elderly abuse usually occurs when a nursing home staff member or other caregiver engages in nonconsensual sexual contact with a nursing home resident. As you can imagine, nursing home sexual abuse results in physical and psychological damage to the victim. Oftentimes victims of sexual abuse do not report the incident out of fear or embarrassment. In order to protect our loved ones and keep them safe from harm, it is imperative we understand the warning signs of nursing home sexual abuse and do what we can to ensure our loved ones are being well cared for.
Common Forms of Sexual Abuse
In order to better understand how to help victims of nursing home sexual abuse, it is important we fully understand what it is. This type of abuse comes in many forms, including the following:
- Sexual assault
- Forced penetrative acts
- Fondling
- Verbal sexual harassment
- Staff or other residents exposing themselves to another resident
- Forced nudity
- Pornographic picture taking or being shown
- Telling inappropriate jokes or stories
- Unwanted sexual touching
Any act that is sexual in nature that occurs without your loved one’s consent is considered a form of sexual abuse. It is crucial that you understand some of the most common signs of nursing home sexual abuse so you can do your part in protecting your loved one:
- Bruising around breasts, inner thigh, or upper abdomen
- Bleeding from genitals
- Presence of sexually transmitted disease
- Trouble walking or discomfort when sitting down
- Irritation or itching in genital region
If you believe your loved one is the victim of sexual abuse, please contact our McKinney nursing home abuse attorneys right away.