Mar 04, 2010
By Marcus Washington
More cases of violence against seniors are being reported statewide, but studies show hundreds of thousands more cases go unreported with the increase of reports.
Elderly abuse is a crime that has the attention of the Metro police cadets. The crime is an issue officers are responding to and with the help of FiftyForward, Sexual Assault Center, the District Attorney General, Metro Police Department and Adult Protective - the police officer cadets are getting the training to identify the issue.
"We want them to recognize the signs and symptoms of elder abuse when they go out to a call," said Pamela Sessions with YWCA.
Sessions said the abuse comes in the forms of physical, sexual, mental and neglect. In 2009, there were more than 10,000 reported cases of elder abuse. She said statistics show that only 1 out 23 elder abuse victims report the crime.
"Seniors that are being abused, about 90 percent of those cases report that the abuse is imposed on the victim by a family member," said Sessions.
Many times the victim stays in their abusive environment because they feel they have no other choice.
It's information the future Metro police officers have to prepare themselves to deal with and know legally, what they can do.
Chris Burford is with the District Attorney's office. He said even after more than a decade with the DA's office, they are finding more laws that could help deal with the elderly abuse cases.
"We discuss as a group ways that we might be able to improve the investigation and the detection of the elder abuse," said Burford.
A $300,000 grant from the criminal justice program funded the Elder Abuse Prevention Project for three years. During that time more than 1,500 cadets, officers, detectives and judges have gone through the training.
If you or someone your know is dealing with elder abuse, go to YWCA orCouncil on Aging.
SOURCE: NewsChannel5.Com
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