Elder Victimization

Trends

From 1995 to 2015, the rate of violent victimization against individuals age 65 and older declined about 24%, from 6.8 

violent victimizations per 1,000 individuals to 5.2 in 2015. In comparison, the total rate of violent victimization declined by 

74% between 1995 and 2015, from 70.7 per 1,000 individuals to 18.6.A

In 2015, the rate of violent victimization against women age 65 and older was both higher than the rate for men in the same 

age group and 2.4x greater than the previous year’s rate. However, violent victimization rates for this age group have not 

been consistently greater for men or for women over the past 20 years.A In contrast, researchers estimate that elderly women 

experience maltreatment more frequently 

than men.E

Did You Know?

Almost 50% of individuals with dementia are 

abused or neglected by their caregivers.B

Injuries to older adults from violent crime 

account for more than $5.3 billion annually in 

direct medical care.

C

Individuals age 65+ are more than 30% more 

likely to lose money to financial fraud, compared 

to individuals in their 40s.D

Younger elders have a higher risk of victimization, 

possibly because they are more likely to live with 

a spouse or adult children—two groups that are 

often abusers.E

Individuals who were abused earlier in life are at 

greater risk of victimization as they age.E

Individuals with less social support are more 

likely to be victims of abuse as they age.F

2017 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Resource Guide: Crime and Victimization Fact Sheets

Elder victimization is an important subset of crime. While people age 65 and older experience the same crimes as the 

rest of the population, they are at increased risk for certain types of victimization, including financial victimization, 

neglect, and physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. Researchers estimate that approximately 10% of the population will 

be victimized after the age of 65; however, studies have also shown that elder victimization is highly underestimated. 

Persons with degenerative diseases or cognitive disabilities—including dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s—or who 

are living in institutional settings, such as hospitals or nursing homes, are often not included in survey results. Additionally, studies have demonstrated that while elderly individuals are most commonly maltreated by family members or acquaintances, violent victimizations reported to the police are most commonly perpetrated by strangers. Maltreatment 

is not always a criminal offense, but the intimate nature of many of these victimizations means that elderly victims are 

less likely to report offenses committed by someone they know.

Overall Population

Age 65+

Violent VictimizationA

rate per 1,000 people

1997 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

75

1995 1999 2001 2003

6.8 3.6 5.2

18.6

28.4

70.7

0

15

30

45

60

75

1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

Violent Elder Victimization

(Rate Per 1,000 Individuals)

Violent Victimization (Age 65+) Violent Victimization (Population Estimate)

Violent Elder Victimization by SexA

rate per 1,000 people

1997 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

12

1995 1999 2001 2003

4.3 1.6

6.7

3.2

6.3

10.3

Men

Women

0 

2 

4 

6 

8 

10 

12 

1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 

Violent Elder Vic7miza7on By Sex 

(Rate Per 1,00 Individuals) 

Men Women 
D Financial Fraud and Fraud Susceptibility in the United States, (Applied 

Research and Consulting, 2013), https://www.saveandinvest.org/sites/default/files/Financial-Fraud-And-Fraud-Susceptibility-In-The-United-States.

pdf#page=18

E R. Acierno et al., “The National Elder Mistreatment Study,” Am J Public 

Health vol. 100, 2(2010): 292-97, https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/

grants/226456.pdf

F E. Laumann, S. Leitsch, and L. Waite, “Elder Mistreatment in the United 

States,” J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci vol. 63, 4(2008): S248–S254

G National Center on Elder Abuse, https://ncea.acl.gov/whatwedo/research/

statistics.html#08; Abuse of Residents in Long-Term Care Facility, 2013, 

https://ncea.acl.gov/resources/docs/Abuse-LongTermCare-Facilities-2012.

pdf

SOURCES

A Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Survey, Concatenated File, 1995-2015, (U.S. Department of Justice)

B A. Wiglesworth et al., “Screening for Abuse and Neglect of People with 

Dementia,” J Am Geriatrics Soc vol. 58, 3(2010): 493-500

C X. Q. Dong, “Medical Implications of Elder Abuse and Neglect,” Clinics in 

Geriatric Medicine vol. 21, 2(2005): 293–313

Although the violent victimization rate of individuals age 65 

and older is less than the national rate, crimes against this 

age group are the least reported.In 2015, 45% of surveyed 

victims of violent crime over age 65 also reported that crime 

to the police.

A However, the National Center for Elder Abuse 

estimates that less than 5% of individuals over the age of 65 

report their victimization to the police.G

In 2015, 51% of violent crime victimizations against people 

older than 65 involved victims who did not know their 

perpetrator; 44% were committed by an acquaintance, 

relative, or intimate partner.A

Residents of nursing homes are also vulnerable to abuse, 

neglect, or exploitation by nursing home staff and fellow 

residents. A study of nursing home facilities found that more 

than 50% of staff admitted to engaging in physical violence, 

mental abuse, or neglect of older patients. Furthermore, 

nearly 1/4 of the 190,592 complaints filed against nursing 

homes in 2012 constituted resident-on-resident physical or 

sexual abuse.G

A 2009 study found that the vast majority of elder 

maltreatment is committed by someone familiar to the 

victim. Emotional and sexual maltreatment are most 

frequently committed by either a partner, spouse, or 

acquaintance; neglect by a child or grandchild; and physical 

maltreatment by a partner or spouse.E

Current Data on Elder Victimization

Did not report (55%)

Reported (45%)

Violent Elder Victimization 

Reported to PoliceA

240,758 

victimizations

Types of Complaints Against Nursing HomesG

Physical or sexual abuse 

by another resident

Psychological abuse 21

7

7

29

14

22

Sexual abuse

Financial exploitation

Gross neglect

Physical abuse 50%

Perpetrator of Most Recent MaltreatmentE

by type of maltreatment

Stranger

Other relative

25

25

23

19

40

40

Children/

Grandchildren

Acquaintance

Spouse/

Partner

19

10

0

39

13

9

12

7

9

3

3

0

60%

Emotional

Physical

Sexual

Neglect

57

28

Violent Elder VictimizationA

by victim relationship to perpetrator

Stranger (51%)

Acquaintance (26%)

(well known or casual) 

Other relative (9%)

Intimate partner (9%)

Unknown/Not specified (5%)