Four women at a Kentucky nursing home have come forward and filed a nursing home abuse lawsuit against the facility they lived in. They claim the residents enabled an employee to sexually abuse not only patients but co-workers, too. The state of Kentucky has also fined the facility in the past for sexual abuse.
About Elder Sexual Abuse
According to the National Elder Abuse Incidence Study of 1998, approximately 67% of elder sexual abusers were family members. Another study, published in the Journal of Abuse in 2000, estimated 12.2% of elder sexual abuse victims were assaulted within their own homes. Approximately 14.6% of elder sexual abuse victims were assaulted in the sexual offender’s home. The largest percentage of elder sexual abuse, around 70.7% of cases, occurred within nursing homes.
Common elder sexual abuse follows these statistics:
- Women are 6 times more likely to be victims of elder sexual abuse.
- Only about 30% of elderly victims of sexual abuse over the age of 65 years actually report the abuse to the authorities.
- About 83% of victims of elder sexual abuse reside in an institutional care center, such as a nursing home.
- Around 30% of victims of elder sexual abuse occurred in either the elder’s own home or in the perpetrator’s home.
- 80% of the time, the perpetrator of elder sexual abuse was the caregiver to the elder.
- About 76% of elder sexual abuse victims have had their incident witnessed by another.
- Around 70 % of elder sexual abusers were members of the family, according to the National Elder Abuse Incidence Study.
Signs of Sexual Abuse
Signs of sexual abuse can be behavioral or physical. These include:
- Pelvic injury
- Issues walking or sitting
- New STD
- Torn, bloody or stained underwear
- Bruises of the genitals or inner thigh
- Bleeding from the anus or genitals
- Irritation or pain of the anus or genitals
- Panic attacks
- PTSD
- Agitation
- Social or emotional withdrawal
- Inappropriate, unusual or aggressive sexual activities
- Suicide attempts
- Engaging in unusual or inappropriate
Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit
For the past several years, the same Kentucky nursing home has experienced countless complaints from residents of sexual assaults. The man in question worked at a rehab facility before joining the nursing staff. There he would corner young girls and grope them. Many of the girls were underage.
The elderly victims insist the nursing home did not perform adequate background checks on the worker. Now, the residents are mentally scarred. The lawsuit says he not only groped several women but also raped two of them.
The elderly victims insist the nursing home did not perform adequate background checks on the worker. Now, the residents are mentally scarred. The lawsuit says he not only groped several women but also raped two of them.
Lawyers for the victims say that this nursing home abuse lawsuit is paramount to giving women a voice to their injustice. Plus, it is expected that many more women and co-workers will come forward. The facility has denied the allegations and fired the worker.
Get Help
If you suspect your loved one is being abused or neglected, do not accept denials. Instead, contact a knowledgeable lawyer experienced with representing victims. We have been assisting the injured for 20 years. We help clients from all over the country. Our consultations are completely free. Call today.