HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — An “Elder Abuse Investigation Center” is coming to central Virginia.
According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, one in ten Americans over the age of 60 have been victims of elder abuse and only one in every 24 of those cases is reported. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares shared a message Monday to those taking advantage of the Commonwealth’s seniors.
“Our elderly population will no longer live in fear,” Attorney General Miyares said. “You will.”
On Monday, June 17, Miyares’ office launched central Virginia’s first Elder Abuse Investigation Center. This initiative corresponds with an alarming trend of elder abuse nationwide.
“I’ve seen the rise of victimization with the advent of technology growing and our population maturing,” said a former detective who investigated these types of cases at Monday’s launch.
The detective said he’d see about 100 cases of elder abuse a year in Henrico County. Now, that number is close to 700 to 800 each year. This new intelligence unit, which is part of Miyares’ office, will partner with law enforcement agencies across central Virginia to crack down on elder abuse occurring in nursing homes and elsewhere.
“Most seniors that are the victims of abuse are tragically abused by people that they know,” Miyares said.
Miyares hopes this investigative center will better protect the region’s elders from neglect, physical and sexual assault, violent crimes and even death.
“These cases can be very, very difficult to solve,” Miyares said. “Because, oftentimes, the only witness is the abuser.”
The program provides a one-stop-shop for expert witnesses and resources, so prosecutors across central Virginia have what they need to hold bad actors accountable.
“We’ve set aside money through the center for expert witnesses,” Miyares said. “For nurses that could come in and evaluate the abuse that may have happened.”
In order to get eyes on these cases, it’s important that people are able to recognize common signs of elder abuse, according to Miyares.
“[Signs] could be burns, welts and scratches, fractures, sprains,” Miyares said.
The program has effectively launched as of June 17. Anyone who suspects a loved one is a victim of elder abuse should contact their local law enforcement agency, which will reach out to the investigation center for resources as needed.
HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — An “Elder Abuse Investigation Center” is coming to central Virginia.
According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, one in ten Americans over the age of 60 have been victims of elder abuse and only one in every 24 of those cases is reported. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares shared a message Monday to those taking advantage of the Commonwealth’s seniors.
“Our elderly population will no longer live in fear,” Attorney General Miyares said. “You will.”
On Monday, June 17, Miyares’ office launched central Virginia’s first Elder Abuse Investigation Center. This initiative corresponds with an alarming trend of elder abuse nationwide.
“I’ve seen the rise of victimization with the advent of technology growing and our population maturing,” said a former detective who investigated these types of cases at Monday’s launch.
The detective said he’d see about 100 cases of elder abuse a year in Henrico County. Now, that number is close to 700 to 800 each year. This new intelligence unit, which is part of Miyares’ office, will partner with law enforcement agencies across central Virginia to crack down on elder abuse occurring in nursing homes and elsewhere.
“Most seniors that are the victims of abuse are tragically abused by people that they know,” Miyares said.
Miyares hopes this investigative center will better protect the region’s elders from neglect, physical and sexual assault, violent crimes and even death.
“These cases can be very, very difficult to solve,” Miyares said. “Because, oftentimes, the only witness is the abuser.”
The program provides a one-stop-shop for expert witnesses and resources, so prosecutors across central Virginia have what they need to hold bad actors accountable.
“We’ve set aside money through the center for expert witnesses,” Miyares said. “For nurses that could come in and evaluate the abuse that may have happened.”
In order to get eyes on these cases, it’s important that people are able to recognize common signs of elder abuse, according to Miyares.
“[Signs] could be burns, welts and scratches, fractures, sprains,” Miyares said.
The program has effectively launched as of June 17. Anyone who suspects a loved one is a victim of elder abuse should contact their local law enforcement agency, which will reach out to the investigation center for resources as needed.