If your family member is in a long-term care facility, you trust that those who are tasked with their care will provide competent, safe support. Unfortunately, sexual abuse often happens in these locations, and when it does, victims may not be willing to discuss what happened. There are several factors to keep in mind as you consider how to handle sexual abuse in a long-term care facility.
Recognize the Warning Signs
Sexual abuse in long-term care facilities happens more frequently than many realize, with about 10% of people over the age of 65 reporting some type of abuse, and 0.6% reporting unwanted attention. Experts believe this figure is vastly underreported. For that reason, family members are critical to recognizing the signs of sexual abuse so that action can be taken.
- Bruising, cuts, or unexplained injuries on the genital area or breasts
- Agitation and feelings of being jumpy or uneasy
- Unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding
- Onset of sexually transmitted diseases
- Increased mental health concerns, including depression
- Sleep disturbances
- Significant increase in anxiety, especially about being left alone
Those in long-term care facilities may pull away from family and friends or be unwilling to talk about how they feel or what is happening to them. Even if they are a typical vocal person who “would never let that happen” reactions to sexual abuse range widely.
Seek Medical Attention for Your Loved One
Turn to their family doctor, who is not located at the facility, and ask for them to come to see your loved one. If they have a good relationship with their doctor, this can make the process a bit easier. To handle sexual abuse, be proactive about getting them help through medical care outside of the facility if possible.
If your loved one may be at serious risk of health complications, is suffering severe mental trauma, or is otherwise at risk right now, do not be afraid to call 911 to have them taken out of the location. If you feel they are unsafe, this is something you can do to protect your loved one.
Do not assume that alerting the onsite doctor or nursing team at the location is enough. You certainly should inform them of your suspicions, but they may take steps to protect their company and warn you against seeking action.
Turn to Law Enforcement and Your Attorney
Once you are sure your loved one is safe right now, it is time to take legal action. The first step in that process is contacting law enforcement to document what is occurring and to collect available evidence. If possible, ask for police to come to the long-term care facility to take these steps without informing staff.
Document what you experienced, what was said, what evidence was present, as well as the statements made to the onsite health care providers and management. From here, contact the state’s nursing home licensing and certification agency and Adult Protective Services. By doing so, you bring the law into the process.
You have the right to seek help from the ombudsman in your state, but what is most important for you to know is that you should not assume the facility itself will protect your loved one. Let your nursing home abuse attorney help you get your loved one to safety and to take legal action against those who hurt them.