Special Population (2 of 3) Elderly Victims of Sexual Assault
Facts
About Elderly Victims
As many as 18% of
all sexual assault victims are over the age of 60.
Elderly victims
are often severely injured during the assault.
Many elderly
victims are sexually assaulted during a burglary of their home.
Crisis Intervention Tips
Do a safety check. Make sure
the caller is in a safe place.
Help dispel the myths
surrounding sexual assault by providing information.
Provide information about
sexual assault and STAR services.
The victim may need frequent
silent moments or pauses to gather composure or to chose words.
Be gentle. The elderly victim
is cautious when discussing rape. The victim may be experiencing internal conflicts over
generational values and the assault.
Give praise to the caller for
calling STAR. It took courage
Try not to get personally
offended if the elderly victim makes remarks such as "I've lived longer than
you," etc. Understand that this may be an expression of the anger that the victim is
experiencing due to a loss of power and control.
Help the caller develop a plan
of action: Who else can the caller turn to for support? What should be done next? Where
can additional help be found?
Special Needs
For the elderly victim of
sexual assault, recovery may be a difficult process. The assault may have caused severe
physical trauma or injuries. Because many elderly people have a natural decrease in
strength and bone structure, the injuries may take longer to heal.
Sometimes the assault causes
victims to start thinking about their own mortality. They may also develop a sense of
increased helplessness. The social values of their generation may compound the emotional
impact. The elderly victim may view the assault as shameful or merely something that is
not to be discussed. Additionally, the victim may not have a large support system of
friends and family which may make them feel alienated or alone.
If there are age-related mental
impairments, it may be extremely difficult for the victim to remember the information
necessary for making a police report. It may also be difficult for them to express what
they are going through.
.
If you
have reason to believe an elderly person is being assaulted, it is your obligation to
report this information to Adult Protective Services, Division of Senior Services at
563-5654 or 800-478-9996
Reinforce to the victim that she/he is not at fault.
Our contact information is below...
..
Standing Together Against Rape,
Inc / star@staralaska.org
Special Population (2 of 3) Elderly Victims of Sexual Assault
.
