The perception of elder sexual abuse in the courtroom

Emily C. Hodell, Jonathan M. Golding, John A. Yozwiak, Gregory S. Bradshaw, Terri L. Kinstle, Dorothy F. Marsil

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

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.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)678-698
Number of pages21
JournalViolence Against Women
Volume15
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2009

Keywords

  • Criminal trial
  • Elder sexual abuse
  • Juror perceptions
  • Mock jury

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Gender Studies
  • Sociology and Political Science
  • Law

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