My aunt lives with her son and his family. I suspect that she’s being abused. She acts nervous when her son is in the room, her bedroom has a lock on the door, and she has bruises on her arm. When I asked her about the situation she seemed very confused. Why isn’t she reporting this abuse?

There are many reasons why people might not report abuse. They include

• shame that a family member treats them badly and a need to keep it in the family;
• fear of more abuse;
• fear of being placed in an institution;
• fear of losing a caregiver or contact with a family member;
• a belief that they are getting what they deserve, for example, if they feel they were not a good parent;
• a belief that police or social services cannot help them;
• a belief that they cannot prove the abuse is happening.

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January 2006

see also:

• More Abuse of Older Adults FAQs

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