Sexual abuse

The sexual abuse of older people is any behaviour of a sexual nature, done without their consent. This includes physical interactions and non-contact acts of a sexual nature.

Sexual abuse of older people is any behaviour of a sexual nature, done to an older person without their consent. This includes physical interactions and non-contact acts of a sexual nature.

What is sexual abuse of older people?

The sexual abuse of older people is any behaviour of a sexual nature, done without their consent. This includes physical interactions and non-contact acts of a sexual nature.

It may be:

  • Non-consensual sexual contact, language, or behaviour

  • Enforced nudity

  • Cleaning or treating the older person’s genital area roughly or inappropriately

  • Unwanted exposure to pornographic material

  • Any behaviour that makes an older person feel uncomfortable about their body, gender, or sexual identity

1% of older people reported experiencing this form of abuse in the last 12 months.1

More older women reported sexual abuse than men in the last 12 months as noted in the National Elder Abuse Prevalence Study.2

The most frequently reported form of sexual abuse was being spoken to in a sexual way when this was unwelcome (76.5%).3 Nearly a third of the sexual abuse reported consisted of being touched in a sexual way against the participant’s will (32.2%), while forced sexual acts accounted for 15.9%.4

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Sexual abuse resources

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Need information or advice on elder abuse now?
Need information or advice on elder abuse now?
CALL 1800 ELDERHelp (1800 353 374)
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This free number will redirect you to an existing phone service near you. This is not a 24-hour line. Call operating times will vary. A collaboration between the Australian, state and territory governments.