Partners in Partners in Making a Making a DifferenceDifference

Working Towards Working Towards Ending Ending

Abuse of the Elderly,Abuse of the Elderly,People with People with DisabilitiesDisabilities

and Deaf Individualsand Deaf Individuals

““Violence is asViolence is asAmerican asAmerican asApple Pie.”Apple Pie.”

H. Rap BrownH. Rap Brown

1 in 20 Elders1 in 20 Eldersareare

Victims of Victims of AbuseAbuse

Only OneOnly One

IncidentIncidentin Seven in Seven

Gets ReportedGets Reported

““Every day silence Every day silence harvests its victims. harvests its victims. Silence is a mortal Silence is a mortal

illness.”illness.”

Natalia GinzburgNatalia Ginzburg

"The victim was a "The victim was a person - person -

someone you someone you can picture.“can picture.“

Jack Collins Jack Collins

What Part Of What Part Of Leave Me Alone Leave Me Alone

Don’t You Don’t You Understand?Understand?

Among developmentally Among developmentally disabled adults, as many disabled adults, as many as 83% of females and as 83% of females and

32% of males are victims 32% of males are victims of sexual assault. of sexual assault.

Stimson, L. & Best, M.D., "Courage Above All:" Sexual Assault against Stimson, L. & Best, M.D., "Courage Above All:" Sexual Assault against Women with DisabilitiesWomen with Disabilities

85% of Women85% of Womenwith Disabilities with Disabilities

havehaveExperienced Experienced

Domestic Abuse.Domestic Abuse.Fluerstein, 1997Fluerstein, 1997

Elder Abuse Can Be:Elder Abuse Can Be:PhysicalPhysical

Sexual

Emotional or Psychological

Abandonment

Neglect

Financial Exploitation

Each year, nearly 10 Each year, nearly 10 thousand women and thousand women and

children become children become permanently deaf or hard permanently deaf or hard of hearing due to being of hearing due to being repeatedly struck on or repeatedly struck on or

near the ear.near the ear.

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders; National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders; National Institutes of Health, National Strategic Research Plan (1989)National Strategic Research Plan (1989)

““Are people who don’t have Are people who don’t have disabilities normal?”disabilities normal?”

““The only thing that is normal The only thing that is normal is the setting on the washing is the setting on the washing

machine.”machine.”

Patty DerouchiePatty DerouchieGreen Mtn Self AdvocatesGreen Mtn Self Advocates

  

““The only thing that’s The only thing that’s been a worse flop been a worse flop

than the organization than the organization of non-violence has of non-violence has

been the organization been the organization of violence.”of violence.”

Joan BaezJoan Baez

Almost 90% ofAlmost 90% ofElder AbusersElder Abusers

areareFamily MembersFamily Members

NCEA, 1996NCEA, 1996

40%40%of Elder of Elder

abusers areabusers areAdult ChildrenAdult Children

NCEA, 1996NCEA, 1996

In 1999In 1999470,702 cases of Elder 470,702 cases of Elder abuse and neglect were abuse and neglect were

reported toreported toAdult Protective ServicesAdult Protective Services

NCEA, 2001NCEA, 2001

That is aThat is a62% INCREASE62% INCREASE

sincesince19961996

Based on NCEA DataBased on NCEA Data

In 1999In 1999114,861 complaints of 114,861 complaints of

abuseabuseneglect and grossneglect and gross

exploitation of Elders in exploitation of Elders in the U.S. were reported to the U.S. were reported to

ombudsmenombudsmenNCEA, 2001NCEA, 2001

““I couldn’t believe what I I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, bruises on was seeing, bruises on her neck, on her chin, her neck, on her chin,

she had some bruises on she had some bruises on her legs. I said, “What her legs. I said, “What

the hell happened to you the hell happened to you here?”here?”

Cary Love speaks of his mother, CBS NewsCary Love speaks of his mother, CBS News

““My mother experienced My mother experienced beating, malnutrition, beating, malnutrition,

dehydration and neglect. All dehydration and neglect. All three of the nursing homes three of the nursing homes

are responsible for her are responsible for her death.”death.”

Leslie Oliva, speaks of her mother, Time.ComLeslie Oliva, speaks of her mother, Time.Com

““Violence is Violence is unnecessary and unnecessary and costly. Peace is costly. Peace is the only way.the only way. “ “

  Julius K NyerereJulius K Nyerere

By its acceptance of By its acceptance of differences, the campaign differences, the campaign

for disability rights has for disability rights has forged a powerful coalition forged a powerful coalition of millions of people with of millions of people with disabilities, their families, disabilities, their families, and those that work with and those that work with

them.them.Joseph P. Shapiro, Joseph P. Shapiro, No Pity,No Pity, 1994 1994

  

 

5 million crimes are 5 million crimes are committed against committed against

persons with persons with developmental developmental

disabilities each year disabilities each year in the U.S.in the U.S.

Petersilia, PhD, UCDPetersilia, PhD, UCD

In 3 YearsIn 3 Yearsthere has been athere has been a

59%59%INCREASE in reports of INCREASE in reports of

abuse to Adult Protective abuse to Adult Protective Services in Services in

VermontVermont

APS Data 2000-2003APS Data 2000-2003

““The best time to The best time to stop domestic stop domestic

violence is before it violence is before it begins.”begins.”

UnknownUnknown

The majority ofThe majority ofelder victims areelder victims are

women.women.Dunlop, 2000: Crickton, 1999; Lithwick, 1999Dunlop, 2000: Crickton, 1999; Lithwick, 1999

Adults with disabilities Adults with disabilities experience experience

violence/abuse at violence/abuse at least twice as often as least twice as often as

people without people without disabilitiesdisabilities

Sobsey, 1995Sobsey, 1995

15% of15% ofElder AbusersElder Abusers

areareSpousesSpouses

NCEA, 1996NCEA, 1996

““I spent every waking I spent every waking hour trying to be a hour trying to be a

better wife and mother better wife and mother but the harder I tried, but the harder I tried, the worse it became.”the worse it became.”

Quote from an older abused womanQuote from an older abused woman

Approximately 3 ½ Approximately 3 ½ million Deaf women million Deaf women were abused in the were abused in the

U.S. U.S.

Demographic Studies- Gallaudet UniversityDemographic Studies- Gallaudet University

20022002

Men who are abusive Men who are abusive use physical and use physical and sexual violence sexual violence

against their victims against their victims more often than more often than

women.women.The National Elder Abuse Incidence Study, 1998The National Elder Abuse Incidence Study, 1998

STOP STOP HURTING ME HURTING ME

STOP STOP HURTING YOUHURTING YOU

Adults with developmental Adults with developmental disabilities are at risk of disabilities are at risk of

being physically or being physically or sexually assaulted at sexually assaulted at rates four to ten times rates four to ten times

greater than other adults. greater than other adults.

Sobsey, 1995Sobsey, 1995

A Study of 257 older A Study of 257 older women ages 50 – 79, women ages 50 – 79, found that 32% had found that 32% had

experienced physical experienced physical abuse or threat at some abuse or threat at some

point in their lives.point in their lives.

Moulton, 1999Moulton, 1999

““Abuse is the Abuse is the weapon of the weapon of the

vulgar.vulgar. “ “

Samuel Griswold GoodrichSamuel Griswold Goodrich

““Nothing good Nothing good ever comes of ever comes of

violence”violence”

Martin LutherMartin Luther

Women with disabilities are Women with disabilities are more likely than other women more likely than other women to be victimized, to experience to be victimized, to experience violence that is more severe violence that is more severe and prolonged, and to suffer and prolonged, and to suffer

more serious and chronic more serious and chronic effects from that violenceeffects from that violence

Sobsey, 1995Sobsey, 1995

"To hurt is easy. "To hurt is easy. Not to hurt Not to hurt

takes wisdom."takes wisdom."

UnknownUnknown

68 to 83% of women with 68 to 83% of women with developmental disabilities developmental disabilities

will be sexually assaulted in will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, which their lifetime, which

represents a 50% higher represents a 50% higher rate than the rest of the rate than the rest of the

populationpopulation

Pease & Franz 1994Pease & Franz 1994

““Who do you tell?” she’d Who do you tell?” she’d asked…She was quiet for a asked…She was quiet for a

moment, and then, still looking moment, and then, still looking away, she answered her own away, she answered her own question. ‘Nobody. They ain’t question. ‘Nobody. They ain’t gonna believe you, anyway.”gonna believe you, anyway.”

  

Invisible VoicesInvisible Voices

"We need a more "We need a more modern approach to modern approach to

the reporting of crimes. the reporting of crimes. If we don’t see the If we don’t see the

crimes in print, then crimes in print, then we’re going to think we’re going to think

they’re not happening they’re not happening anymore."anymore."

Rose Marie Heck Rose Marie Heck