The following is part of our project “Increasing Access to Justice for Older Adult Victims of Sexual Assault: A Capacity Building Approach”, funded by the Justice Canada Victims Fund.Learn more about this project or consult the full list of resources
June 2014, Rosemary Mann, Philomena Horsley, Catherine Barrett, Jean Tinney
''Daily, the Australian community is becoming more aware of the extent of sexual violence against women. Until recently the prevalence and circumstances of these crimes went mainly unrecognised, and thus, unaddressed. More recently, community bodies, government agencies and departments, carers and women’s groups have mounted extensive campaigns against these terrible actions. But the circumstances of very old victims have remained to a large extent, hidden. Sexual violence against any woman is intolerable, but sexual violence against frail, very old women, be they living in residential aged care, or receiving care at home, constitute the worst cases of this abominable crime. Frail older women, often suffering dementia, have no defences against the perpetrators. Sometimes, the perpetrators are in fact the very people charged with care of the older women. The situation of these older abused women is especially damaging when they are unable to describe what has happened to them, or identify their attacker so that criminal process can be set in train.''
Source: The Opal Institute