Va. Beach prosecutor launches campaign targeting elder abuse
The video opens with a bruised and frightened girl sitting at a desk with a computer and some papers on it. A man who appears to be her father sits next to her, looks at the papers, yells at her, then forcefully grabs her by the arm.
“If you noticed unexplained bruises, overheard ridicule, frequently smelled urine, found her hungry, frightened or withdrawn, could you ignore it?” the narrator asks as the man pulls the girl away.
The scene then shifts to an older woman sitting on a sofa. The same man — presumably the son of the older woman— comes into the room and yells at the woman about taking her medicine. She looks frightened as he forcefully puts the pills in her hand and orders her to take them.
“How about now?” the narrator asks. “Like with child abuse, elder abuse is an attack on the innocent, the vulnerable. And abuse can have deadly consequences.”
The 45-second video is part of a public service campaign launched Monday by Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney Colin Stolle. It seeks to draw attention to the problem of elder abuse and to encourage the public to report incidents.
“The elderly are among our most vulnerable and powerless victims,” Stolle said in a statement. “Most people wouldn’t think twice about reporting suspected child abuse. Elder abuse should be treated the same way.”
The video was created by the city’s multimedia services division. Among the actors in it is Macie Allen, a spokeswoman for the commonwealth’s attorney’s office. Allen plays a woman out walking her dog when she hears the man yelling at the older woman and stops for a moment.
According to the National Council on Aging, elder abuse can be physical, emotional and sexual, and includes neglect, exploitation and abandonment. Those who are isolated, or who suffer from memory loss or other communication problems, are among the most vulnerable.
The perpetrators are often family members and caregivers. The council estimates that 1 in 10 adults 60 and older has experienced some form of elder abuse.
Signs of abuse may include bruises, broken bones, bed sores, abrasions, burns, sudden changes in finances, poor hygiene, unexplained weight loss, sleeplessness, unusual depression, unsafe or unclean living conditions, lacking medical aids like hearing aids or walkers and withdrawal from regular activities.
Virginia Beach residents who suspect or witness abuse are encouraged to call the police department’s detective bureau at 757-385-4101, or 911 if the victim is in immediate danger.
Abuse or neglect of an incapacitated adult that results in serious bodily injury or disease is a felony in Virginia, and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.