Santa Barbara Sexual Abuse Lawyer

Sexual abuse, including sexual harassment and sexual assault, can have devastating effects regardless of where it occurs and regardless of the age of the person abused. Yet, in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, sexual abuse can have particularly devastating consequences. Not only can elderly residents of nursing homes and assisted-living facilities experience significant physical injuries as a result of sexual abuse, but they can also experience psychological consequences that can have debilitating effects that often go untreated or unnoticed. In particular, older adults with forms of cognitive impairment can be particularly vulnerable when it comes to sexual abuse, and it is especially important for family members to be able to recognize signs and symptoms.

If you have any concerns about elder abuse in a nursing home or assisted-living facility in Southern California, including sexual abuse, it is essential to seek advice from a Santa Barbara sexual abuse lawyer as soon as possible.

Nursing home abuse and neglect can take many forms, including physical abuse, emotional abuse, passive neglect, willful deprivation, and sexual abuse. According to the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, sexual abuse in a nursing home or assisted-living facility can be understood as “non-consensual sexual contact by one person on another,” and it can “happen as the result of deceiving, manipulating, or forcing the resident into sexual contact.”

There are many forms that sexual abuse can take, including any kind of unwanted intimate touching, rape, forced nudity, forced observation of pornography or sexual acts, or forced involvement in photos or videos while a resident is not fully clothed. The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care reports that women, as well as residents with any form of dementia, are at greater risk of sexual abuse in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities.

Given that sexual abuse is often underreported and under-investigated, it is particularly important for family members and friends of elderly nursing home residents to know the common signs of sexual abuse so that they can take steps to report it. Common signs, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), include but are not limited to:

• Elderly person reporting rape, sexual assault, or any form of unwanted sexual touching or activity;
• Bruising around the elderly person’s breasts or genital area;
• Underwear or undergarments that are torn, stained, or bloody;
• Vaginal or anal bleeding that does not have another explanation; and
• Diagnosis of a sexually transmitted infection that does not have another explanation.

As the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network underscores, it is especially critical to recognize that elderly loved ones with dementia often cannot consent and may not recognize that they have experienced sexual violence, but any of the above signs can be indicators of sexual abuse that should be reported immediately.

Learning that an elderly loved one has experienced any kind of harm or injury in a nursing home or assisted living facility can be devastating. Whether you have concerns about sexual abuse or another type of elder abuse, it is important to know that one of the experienced Santa Barbara County sexual abuse lawyers at our firm can help you. Contact the Southern California Nursing Home Law Group today for more information.