Published on April 02, 2006
Grants To Stop Abuse of Older Or Disabled Individuals
Abuse of the elderly and of people with disabilities is unique in that many times the victim’s abuser is also the caretaker. Victims may not have the financial resources or the physical ability to remove themselves or otherwise seek help. This type of abuse can take many forms and is not always straightforward.
Victims with Disabilities
- One study found that almost two-thirds of women with disabilities reported abuse and violence; and, in cases of domestic violence, they reported staying with their batterers almost twice as long as women without disabilities. (ref )
- This may be because of increased physical, economic, social or psychological dependence on others and a fear of abandonment or institutionalization.(ref )
- Often service providers are not fully equipped to deal with the special circumstances facing victims with disabilities.(ref )
- Only 35% of shelters surveyed have disability awareness training for their staff and only 16% have a dedicated staff person to deliver services to women with disabilities.(ref )
Elderly Victims
- Reports show that victims of elder abuse are harmed primarily by family members (89.7%).(ref )
- Women are the most likely victims of elder abuse (76.3%).(ref )Only 23% of elder abuse victims are able to care for themselves.(ref )
- Most victims of elder abuse (over 76%) are dependent on others for at least some of their care.(ref )
- As a result, most elder abuse goes unreported..
VAWA grants for the elderly and for people with disabilities provide funds for facilities modification and equipment, as well as funds enhancing services and providing training for law enforcement, prosecutors, governmental agencies, victim assistants, and relevant officers of Federal, State, tribal, territorial, and local courts in recognizing, addressing, investigating, and prosecuting instances of elder abuse and abuse of people with disabilities.
These grant programs are the only programs that offer this type of specialized training and protection. In previous years these programs were funded at $11.6 out of an authorized $20 million. This year, because of the President's block grant proposal, we don't know how much these programs will receive. We request full funding at $20 million. Please let Congress know just how important these programs are by telling your story below.
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WHY THESE PROGRAMS MATTER
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If you are a survivor of elder abuse or a person with a disability who has been abused, or someone who provides services to these survivors, please use our webform below to post your personal comments about why full funding for Services to Elder and Disabled Victims are so important We'll compile your comments into a booklet that will be hand-delivered to legislative offices.
Some tips about writing personal comments.
If you are a survivor, make your comments as personal as possible. I know its hard to re-visit the trauma, and don't go any deeper than you feel safe doing, but if you can, describe what happened to you, how old you were, the perpetrator's relationship to you, how you felt, and why having services available was or would have been a good thing. If you were able to access services, describe specifically how they were helpful. If you were not able to access services, explain the impact of that. Please do not identify anybody by name in your comments.
If you are a service provider or someone who tell about the work you do, how it makes a difference, and why this funding matters. Are you able to provide the level of services you would like to elderly victims or victims with disabilities? Its especially powerful to tell the story of your work with one person or family. In what ways were you limited in beign able to provide services to this victim and her family? What needs does your community have for addressing elder abuse and abuse of the disabled? Please be as specific and personal as possible. Talk about the tragedies you are witnessing and the lives you are touching. Make it real, so they cannot turn away and pretend not to know..
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