Perpetrator Identity and Poly-victimization

Perpetrators of elder mistreatment share some common characteristics but are largely heterogeneous with significant variability across types of abuse. Greater insight into these differences in typology may serve to inform appropriate interventions and response. Below are general offender patterns extrapolated from research. An Abuser Risk Measure has been developed to measure the risk of abuse by perpetrators.¹

• Age: The average age is 45. The majority of cases reported to APS or law enforcement involve a known person who is, on average, a generation younger than the older adult.²
• Gender: Much of the data indicates a lack of gender differences among offenders, but one study found that 62% of perpetrators were men.
• Race: 77% of perpetrators were found to be Caucasian.
• Education: 38% of perpetrators did not graduate from high school, although 44% received a high school diploma.
• Employment: Between one third and two thirds of offenders were unemployed at the time of the incident.
• Marital Status: 70% of elder abuse perpetrators were unmarried at the time of the offense.
• Health: Most perpetrators appeared to be relatively healthy.
• Family History: Almost half of the perpetrators reported a history of early childhood violence.
• Substance Abuse: 20% to 50% of perpetrators reported substance misuse.
• Mental Health: Approximately 25% to 35% of perpetrators reported having a serious mental illness.
• Criminal Record: Between 25% and 46% of perpetrators had a criminal record at the time of the offense.
• Relationship Problems: One study found that 68% of perpetrators experienced interpersonal relationship problems, while another reported only 21%.
• Living Arrangements: Between 53% and 64% of elder abuse victims and perpetrators cohabitated at the time of the offense.
• Financial Problems: 30% of financial exploitation perpetrators compared with less than 1% of interpersonal perpetrators had financial problems.
• Financial Dependence: Approximately one third of perpetrators were financially dependent upon the victim at the time of the offense.
• Social Isolation: 35% of offenders reported lack of an individual they could contact to take them to the doctor or speak with if needed.³

• Psychological Abuse: The most frequent offender is a partner/spouse.
• Physical Abuse: The most frequent offender is a partner/spouse.
• Neglect: Adult children are the most frequent perpetrators.

• Financial Abuse: Family members (54%) and care workers (31%), compared with partners (13%), were the more frequent perpetrators.

• Sexual Abuse: There is little evidence to support a conclusion, but of the studies conducted it appears that sexual abuse was most often perpetrated by partner/spouses (40%) and acquaintances (40%).⁴

One study differentiated perpetrators by personality and behavioral attributes. Four discrete profiles were identified: “Caregiver,” “Temperamental,” “Dependent Caregiver,” and “Dangerous.” Given the heterogeneity among offenders, researchers suggested that interventions be tailored by typology to effectively address the mistreatment and mitigate harm.⁵

Poly-victimization is the intersection of multiple co-occurring or sequential forms of abuse that can result in cumulative and compounding harms for older adults. The concept of poly-victimization recognizes that past traumas over the life course can heighten the negative impact of mistreatment in older age.

Early childhood adversity, both experiencing and witnessing mistreatment, can also exacerbate later life abuse.⁶ One study reported that approximately 1.7% of older people experienced prior year poly-victimization.⁷