ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Multiple Victims Of Alleged Abuse
Victims Notified Facility Administration Of Assaults
Protecting Vulnerable Loved Ones
Statistics show that 20,000 incidents of sexual abuse, assault and rape in nursing homes have been reported to the authorities over the last two decades, and the numbers are increasing year by year. This is only part of the horrific story, however, as sexual abuse, like other forms of elder abuse in nursing homes, is often underreported. This can be due to the social stigma around sexual assault, or fear of retribution by the perpetrator. Also, residents with mental or physical disabilities may not be able to recount their experience and tell the authorities; Alzheimer’s sufferers and others with extreme dementia may have no memory at all and may have lost the ability to speak. In one reported case below, the elderly victims were able to report their assault, but that is not always the case. Regardless, rape and other forms of sexual assault are of course crimes in and of themselves, but rape and sexual assault are also criminal acts of elder abuse leading the suspect to further criminal charges and also supporting claims for civil liability against the actor and those who supervise him or her. Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 15610.63 (definition of physical dependent adult abuse includes any type of sexual assault). Evans Law Firm. Inc. represents victims of sexual assault or other abuse in care faciliti4es, group homes, and their families, and pursues all persons responsible, including owners, administrators and managers including awards of attorneys’ fees and costs for bringing the lawsuit. Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 15657. Call us today at (415)441-8669 if any senior loved one has suffered any kind of elder abuse in Santa Clara County or elsewhere in California. Our toll-free number is 1-888-50EVANS (888-503-8267).
Caregiver Arrested For Sexual Assault
In one recently reported case,[1] a caregiver in a medical facility has been arrested for sexual assault of multiple elderly victims residing in the facility. According to the arrest warrant, police the victims reported the sexual assaults to the facility administration[2] which then informed police. Any facility and individual staff members caring for elderly victims are mandated reporters of elder abuse under California law. Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 15630. The employee was suspended immediately after the allegations were brought to the medical staff’s attention, officials said. According to police, the arrest was made after “a thorough investigation,” Galt police said, including statements from victims and evidence from witnesses.
Protecting Dependent Adults From Sexual Assaults
If you have any suspicions that a loved one in a group home or other facility is suffering any kind of abuse, alert the home’s administrator and the authorities. If your loved one is already a home resident, consider an in-room surveillance camera. Surveillance cameras in a facility room are permitted under California law. You can read more about the use of surveillance cameras elsewhere on our website: https://www.evanslaw.com/san-francisco-nursing-home-abuse-attorney-surveillance-cameras-in-nursing-home-rooms/.
Contact Us
Ingrid M. Evans represents victims of elder or dependent adult abuse or sexual abuse or sexual assault, and their families and heirs, in Santa Clara County or elsewhere in California. If you need help, call us today at 415-441-8669 or toll free at 1-888-50EVANS (888-503-8267).or by email at <a href=”mailto:info@evanslaw.com”>info@evanslaw.com</a>. Ingrid will pursue all remedies available against the agent, including attorneys’ fees and expenses for the older person required to bring an action based on the agent’s wrongful conduct.
[1] Evans Law Firm, Inc. was not involved in the case in any way.
[2] Section 15630 of the California Elder and Abuse Act reads: “Any person who has assumed full or intermittent responsibility for care or custody of an elder or dependent adult, whether or not that person receives compensation, including administrators, supervisors, and any licensed staff of a public or private facility that provides care or services for elder or dependent adults, or any elder or dependent adult care custodian, health practitioner, or employee of a county adult protective services agency or local law enforcement agency is a mandated reporter.”
