Elderly Domestic Abuse Often Underreported

Experts in Highlands County estimate that elderly abuse may be on the rise.

"We do get elderly people in our shelter," said Liz Chamale, a coordinator for the Peace River Center domestic violence Safehouse in Sebring. "It's not a big number compared to the total number of abuse cases we see, but it's still a problem."

Chamale estimates that Peace River takes in about 10 seniors, 65 years and older, per year. She also estimates that the center's outreach program, which is set up so victims don't have to stay in their shelter, deals with four to six cases per month of elderly abuse.

"A lot of times it's not physical violence, it's neglect," said Chamale. "But you do see the physical side sometimes."

"It saddens me when you hear stories about elderly domestic violence," said Chamale. "It just shows that abuse has no boundaries. One of the first things I think of when I hear the stories are that the victim has probably lived their whole life in a violent situation."

Erica Villanueva, a public information officer for the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, said that elderly abuse statistics are often misguiding.

"I think things often go underreported. Coming up with exact numbers is difficult," said Villanueva. "It is often the case that the charges end up becoming basic battery or assault charges."

In Florida, there are mandatory laws that require healthcare professionals to report abuse, neglect or exploitations of the elderly. There are also laws designed to prosecute those who abuse.

Cyndi Dassinger, a probate manager at the Highlands County Courthouse, said that she deals with domestic injunctions stemming from spousal abuse on a daily basis.

"Domestic violence amongst the elderly seems to be on the rise," said Dassinger, who estimated that 25 percent of her injunctions involve senior citizens.

Injunctions, or restraining orders as they are known in some states, are handled in civil court and include provisions limiting contact between parties involved. They are often filed without criminal charges associated from the allegations involved in them.

"I think publicity and the fact that more people are talking about (elderly abuse) has maybe led to more cases being filed," said Dassinger.

Debi Gulbrand, who works in Peace River's outreach program, echoed Dassinger's thoughts.
"A lot of seniors are becoming much more educated when it comes to domestic violence," said Gulbrand. "I think it still goes terribly underreported though."

"Elderly victims are often held captive in their own homes so that they're isolated from the world," said Gulbrand. "In some cases, it's almost as though they've been brainwashed into believing that they deserved what they got. Nobody wants to believe that their life partner is actually torturing them."

Gulbrand also said that it's not uncommon for elderly males to be the victims of violence, as age catches up with them.

Elderly Abuse Cases

In Highlands County there have been a few cases of possible elderly abuse recently popping up in the news.

Curley Sanders, 75, of Sebring, was in court Wednesday afternoon for a competency hearing regarding a felony elderly battery charge in connection to an incident that occurred in May.

Highlands County Sheriff's Office arrest reports state that Sanders reportedly pushed his wife, 73, and struck her with a chair when she was on the ground. The report states that Sanders reportedly got into a fight with his wife over a water bill.

It's not the first time Sanders has been accused of domestic violence. He has arrests dating back to 1972 for spousal abuse. Sheriff's office records indicate he has been arrested at least nine times over the last 35 years for different forms of spousal abuse, having entered no-contest guilty pleas in several cases.

During his court appearance Wednesday, Sanders' defense attorney, Rhonda Whittaker, said a doctor declared her client mentally incompetent to stand trial. Judge Peter Estrada then continued Sanders' case until Jan. 24, 2008, so that he could receive more testing.

The specialists at Peace River said that it's not uncommon for abuse victims to stay in relationships for years.

In July, James Edward Busch, 72, of Lake Placid, was charged with domestic violence aggravated assault on a victim 65 years and older after he reportedly hit his live-in girlfriend, 68, above the eye, causing a wound that required eight stitches.

Busch was free on a $1,000 bond and was awaiting trial; however the state dropped his case in August.