Last week, the Chicago Tribune released the results of a troubling investigation. According to the Tribune, there were 86 nursing home sex allegations raised in the 2 ½ year period from July 2007 – December 2009. Of those 86 allegations, only one person was arrested.
The Tribune cites a variety of reasons why it is hard to prosecute sex crimes in nursing homes. For example, many victims suffer from dementia and cannot provide enough evidence to police for an arrest to be made. Victims who do clearly remember the attack often don’t go to the police because they are ashamed or because they don’t want to spend their time involved in a criminal investigation and prosecution.
Nursing home abuse victims should know that they do have another option to see justice served. They have the right to bring a civil case against the alleged offender in addition to or instead of a prosecution. Civil cases have a lower standard of proof and some of the problems that prevent criminal prosecutions from being successful may not be present in a civil case.
If you, or a loved one, have been the victim of nursing home abuse then please contact an experienced Illinois nursing home abuse attorney for more information about your rights.
