Citation

Kinnear P, Graycar A. Trends Iss. Crime Crim. Justice 1999; 113.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Australian Institute of Criminology)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

About 4.6 percent of older people are victims of physical, sexual or financial abuse, perpetrated mostly by family members and those who are in a duty of care relationship with the victim. This paper discusses whether criminal acts such as assault, sexual assault and theft should be redefined as abuse. It examines intervention issues in domestic violence and child abuse and points out that older persons in abusive situations have virtually no choices, because the alternative (moving to an institution) is what they desire least.