Elder abuse/mistreatment

In commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons—a day in which we reaffirm our commitment to protecting and promoting the rights of seniors—Attorney General Barr announced $9.4 million in funding to programs serving older victims of fraud and abuse.

On Monday, August 31, 2020, Office for Victims of Crime Senior Advisor for Victims Services and Human Trafficking Program Director Bill Woolf spoke at a webinar hosted by the National Elder Multidisciplinary Team (E-MDT) Training and Technical Assistance Center for E-MDT grantees.

He discussed the commitment of the Office for Victims of Crime to serve older victims of financial fraud, including the March 2020 launch of the National Elder Fraud Hotline and an estimated $8 million in Fiscal Year 2020 grant awards.

Good afternoon, everyone! It’s my pleasure to join you all today.

I’d like to begin by thanking Silvia Torres on my team that is here with us today and a big thanks to Equal Justice Works and Justice in Aging for putting this together and inviting me to speak.

For more than three decades Equal Justice Works has guided law students and lawyers into public service careers, with a focus on fighting for equal justice for all Americans. We are so excited they are managing OVC’s Elder Justice Program.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is June 15

Join OVC in commemorating World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on Monday, June 15, 2020. This annual commemoration is a call-to-action for individuals, organizations, and communities to raise awareness about elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.

To commemorate World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, OVC reaffirms its commitment to supporting victims of elder abuse.

Consider participating in virtual events for your own commemoration.

Today is the fifteenth anniversary of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. In the shadow of a pandemic that has disproportionately affected senior populations, we come together to raise awareness about elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

For too long elder abuse—a term that encompasses physical abuse, financial fraud, scams and exploitation, caregiver neglect and abandonment, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse—was a hidden epidemic. But as the global population of older persons grows, elder abuse is finally being treated as a public health crisis requiring collective action.

The Elder Justice Initiative at the U.S. Department of Justice invites you to join a webinar to recognize law enforcement during a World Elder Abuse Awareness Day virtual celebration on Thursday, June 18, 2020, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. eastern time.

Lift up your voices to celebrate America's law enforcement officers by recognizing and commending their tireless work in combating elder abuse throughout our country, and continuing to serve as first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, recognized annually on June 15, is a call-to-action for individuals, organizations, and communities to raise awareness about elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.

In 2016, the new VOCA Formula Victim Assistance Rule clarified and expanded states’ allowable uses of VOCA victim assistance funding. With this clarification, states were able to identify more ways to support all victims, including victims of elder abuse.