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The perception of elder sexual abuse in the courtroom.

Author
Abstract
:

This study explored mock juror perceptions of elder sexual mistreatment (ESM). In Experiment 1, 118 participants read a fictional criminal trial summary of an ESM case in which a 76-year-old woman was allegedly abused by either her son or a neighbor. In Experiment 2 (n = 360), the ESM occurred in either a nursing home or the elder's home and the alleged perpetrator was either her son or a nursing home worker. Conviction rates were relatively low in both experiments (25% and 33%, respectively). Women were more pro-prosecution than men in case judgments. Overall, the study provides evidence that mock jurors may question the credibility of elders in ESM cases.

Year of Publication
:
2009
Journal
:
Violence against women
Volume
:
15
Issue
:
6
Number of Pages
:
678-98
ISSN Number
:
1077-8012
URL
:
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1077801209332294?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3dpubmed
DOI
:
10.1177/1077801209332294
Short Title
:
Violence Against Women
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