Out of the Shadows
Uncovering Substance Use and Elder Abuse
Who Are the Victims?
Elder abuse cuts across all ethnic backgrounds, religions, and social status, affecting older men as well as women. Although older people who are infirmed or impaired are at a higher risk, healthy older people also may be in an abusive situation or relationship. However, because this problem is largely underreported, researchers are only able to deduce patterns and profiles from the reported cases.
Unlike random acts of violence, elder abuse implies the presence of a personal relationship, usually with someone in a position of trust, such as a caregiver, lawyer, or family member who has caused injury or failed to protect the older person from harm. In these relationships of trust, the victim and perpetrator have strong emotional ties. Victims, often loyal to or economically dependent on the abuser, frequently find themselves in paradoxical situations, such as: ref
- Wanting to escape the abuse, but wanting to belong to a family
- Wanting to continue family relationships, even though this may create opportunities for repeat victimization
- Wanting the attention and affection that often goes hand in hand with the abuse
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Last Updated: 8/3/04
SAMHSA is an Agency of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
