Running Head: VICTIMS HARDSHIP

A Victims Hardship
Ansel Mederos
Devry University

Running Head: VICTIMS HARDSHIP

A Victims Hardship
Victims of violent crimes often suffer great tragedy, but unfortunately, a victims
hardships dont often cease after the crime has been committed. A victim must struggle to regain
some modicum of regularity within their lives, though often times, their experiences never allow
for a completely normal life like that which they had pre-victimization. This is especially true for
victims of elder abuse who may never regain normalcy once they have experienced
victimization. The definition for elder abuse covers many different types of abuses that the
elderly may experience; the Center for Elders and the Courts defines elder abuse as, [including]
physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, abandonment, and selfneglect (2015). The greatest challenges a victim of elder abuse will face are the needs to
overcome fear and face the financial hardships associated with their abuse, while pursuing their
abuser.
Overcoming Fear
As with any abuse victim, fear can be a powerful driving force in turning an outgoing
individual into an introvert. The psychological manifestations of fear in an elderly victim, as
described by Papadopoulos and La Fontaine in Elder Abuse: Therapeutic Perspectives in
Practice, can be sleeplessness, withdrawal, agitation [], poor appetite and depressed mood
(2000). The fear of future victimization, the fear of helplessness, and the fear of retribution are
just some of the types of fears elderly victims may face after experiencing abuse, all of which
can be cause to the acute stresses described by Papadopoulos and La Fontaine. In fact, fear may
affect an individuals choices in seeking help. Therefore, after an elderly person has been

Running Head: VICTIMS HARDSHIP

victimized, it is the responsibility of their guardian or caregiver to identify these types of

behaviors, should the individual avoid seeking therapeutic help themselves.
Once a victims abuse and fears have been identified therapy is strongly recommended.
Professional help and guidance can benefit an elderly victims mental health. Comijs, Penninx,
Knipscheer, and Van Tilburg note in Psychological Distress in Victims of Elder Mistreatment:
The Effects of Social Support and Coping that, results showed that victims of elder
mistreatment had higher levels of psychological distress and that social support, like therapy
and support groups help to distract them from their problems, provide a sense of calm, a means
of healing, and advice on how to deal with their mistreatment (1999). Group therapy for victims
can help individuals express themselves, thereby facing their fears, while one on one therapy
may help strengthen an individuals resolve in rebuilding their own self-image. Fostering
forgiveness within therapy sessions can also have a beneficial effect for victims; learning to
forgive themselves and their attacker can provide closure, especially for those whose attackers
are familiar or related.
Coping mechanisms such as therapy are an important part in the rehabilitation process for
victims. Fortunately, there are many different types of programs available for senior victims of
abuse such as outreach programs, counseling, and caregiver programs to educate and support the
people who care for the elderly. By reaching out to senior victims of elder abuse, systems
designed to foster safety can reduce the isolation victims may feel and provide a safe
environment for victims to tell their story. Through rigorous support such as therapy and
outreach programs, elderly victims of abuse can begin to overcome their fears, and the huge
burden that it places upon their lives.

Running Head: VICTIMS HARDSHIP

Overcoming Financial Hardships

Victims of elderly abuse also suffer financial burdens in relation to the crimes committed
against them. Certainly, in the case of physical or mental abuse, medical and mental health care
costs may be incurred for those individuals who seek assistance. These costs, the costs of victim
services, and the costs of direct property losses can all affect an elderly victim directly. Medical
bills and expenses charged to the victim such as legal fees can overwhelm a senior citizen who is
living on a fixed income. In fact, according to the National Institute of Justices research report
Victim Costs and Consequences: A New Look, victims of assault were estimated to have losses
ranging from $2000 to $24000, depending on the level of injuries involved (1996). The National
Institute of Justice drew these figures from several different categories effecting costs, including
productivity, medical care costs, mental health costs, police/fire services, social/victim services,
and property loss or damage. Of those costs accrued annually victims pay about $44 billion of
the $57 billion in tangible nonservice expenses for traditional crimes of violence (NIJ, 1996).
Overcoming financial burdens can be increasingly tough for seniors who do not have
insurance or live on a budget. However, certain crime victim compensation services have been
established to assist the elderly facing financial hardships after their victimizations. CalVCP, or
the California Victim Compensation Program, helps to pay for some of the expenses that elder
abuse victims accrue after victimization has occurred. In fact, CalVCP has specifically assisted
nearly 100 elder abuse victims and paid nearly a quarter of a million dollars to aid in victim
recovery [including] medical, mental health, and dental treatments, along with relocation,
funeral/burial, income/support loss, and residential security (Help for Victims of Elder Abuse,
2011). Fortunately, the sympathy generated for victims of violent crime has led to various forms

Running Head: VICTIMS HARDSHIP

of victimization reparation programs throughout the entire United States, with compensation
boards and services available in all 50 states.
While an elderly victim may be overwhelmed by the onset of financial burdens after they
have been victimized, there are options available to them such as victim compensation programs,
insurance payouts, and legal winnings. These reparations can assist an elderly victim in taking
their life back after their victimization.
Facing Abusers. Lastly, elderly victims face the challenges associated with prosecuting their
abusers. These challenges can come in the form of both mental challenges as well as financial
challenges. When met with the task of taking an abuser to court, seniors may drop charges or
experience high levels of anxiety because of the fear associated with seeing their abusers again.
This can lead to future abuse by the perpetrator or the need for additional victim services, should
the victims have a relapse in terms of their mental health. Therefore, legal counsel should advise
their clients of the victims bill of rights in order to instill a sense of safety for the abused. Within
California, the victims bill of rights, known as Marsys Rights, ensures a victims right to
justice and due process, entitling the victim to the right to be treated with fairness and respect
for his or her privacy and dignity, and to be free from intimidation, harassment, and abuse,
throughout the criminal [process] (Cal. Const., art. I, 28(b)). Victims are also given the right
to restitution, to receive ongoing information about their abuser during criminal proceedings, and
the right to refuse interviews with the defendant and their attorney. These safeguard an elderly
abuse victim from further harm and, with the help of legal counsel, can bolster their resolve in
prosecuting the individuals that hurt them.

Running Head: VICTIMS HARDSHIP

Conclusion. Elderly victims of abuse often face extensive hardships that affect them personally,
socially, and financially. However, there are several helpful institutions that provide seniors the
help that they require during the difficult times following their abuse. Hospitals and counselors
can facilitate a road to better health, while legal compensation and victim restitution programs
can alleviate financial burdens for abuse sufferers. But the most important means of helping
those who have suffered from elder abuse are insuring victims they know their rights; the right to
protection, safety, and fairness free from intimidation and further abuse, and the right to due
process of law in the prosecution of the criminals who would abuse them.

Running Head: VICTIMS HARDSHIP

Works Cited
Cal. Const., art. I, 28(b).
California Victim Compensation Program. (2011). Help for victims of elder abuse. Sacramento:
Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board.
Comijs, H. C., Penninx, B. W., Knipscheer, K. P., & van Tilburg, W. (1999). Psychological
distress in victims of elder mistreatment: The effects of social support and coping.
Journal of Gerontology.
Courts, C. f. (2008). Elder abuse: Basics. Retrieved February 6, 2015, from CEC:
http://www.eldersandcourts.org/Elder-Abuse/Basics.aspx
Miller, T. R., Cohen, M. A., & Wiersema, B. (1996). Victim costs and consequences: A new look.
Landover: National Institute of Justice.
Papadopoulos, A., & La Fontaine, J. (2000). Elder abuse: Therapeutic perspectives in practice.
Bicester: Winslow Press.