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Sexual abuse in Virginia nursing homes

It is hard to believe that sexual abuse is really a problem in nursing homes, but it does happen, more than most people realize. In fact, last year a Bristol, Virginia man was arrested for sexually assaulting and fondling nursing home residents in a facility where he worked, and a recent news report out of Chicago has uncovered a widespread pattern of elder sexual abuse in understaffed and mismanaged facilities.

The Illinois investigation is shocking because it involves 86 cases of sexual violence against elderly and disabled nursing home residents over a period of only two and a half years. Worse than the high number of assaults is the fact that only one case led to an arrest – the other cases were not pursued.

Sexual assault on a nursing home resident is a crime, and police should be notified immediately when it happens – but this does not always happen. Sex crimes against seniors are sometimes not reported at all, or they are reported months later – when all evidence of the crime is gone.

Who is to blame when one resident abuses another?

While the Virginia case involved a staff member sexually assaulting residents, some investigations find that sexual abuse occurs most often between residents. Often predatory male residents are able to freely roam the facility, terrorizing elderly and disabled female residents.

This disturbing trend comes about in part because some nursing homes are a place of last resort for psychiatric patients with histories of violence. Elderly sexual predators also end up in nursing homes, and some older residents develop mental disorders which cause them to become sexually aggressive. The Chicago investigation revealed that facilities where sexual assaults take place were twice as likely to house convicted felons or mentally ill patients.

Budget issues in some nursing homes can exacerbate the problem, as low staffing levels can make it easier for residents to commit crimes against one another without staff noticing. Residents in facilities with below average staffing levels are more likely to suffer from abuse and neglect. Sadly, sexually abused residents may be unwilling to speak up about the crime, because of embarrassment or a fear of retaliation.

Elder sexual abuse is a crime

Sexual crimes against the elderly can range from molestation and groping to violent rape and sexual assault. If you suspect that your loved one is suffering from sexual abuse or any other form of nursing home abuse or neglect, please don’t hesitate to get help.

You can speak confidentially with the attorneys at the Norfolk based law office of Weisberg & Zaleski about a suspected case of nursing home abuse or neglect. Let our skilled, compassionate lawyers assist you secure justice and compensation for your loved one’s needless suffering.

Weisberg & Zaleski, P.C.

112 College Place

Norfolk, VA 23510

Toll Free: (800) 690-0235

Phone: (757) 622-7740

Fax: (757) 533-9223

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Weisberg & Zaleski, P.C.
112 College Place
Norfolk, VA 23510
Phone: (757) 622-7740
Fax: (757) 533-9223
Toll Free: (800) 690-0235
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