Elder Sexual Abuse: Don’t Let the Shock Value Fade

When we reflect on South Korea’s extraordinary transformation, from war-torn devastation to a global economic powerhouse, we rightly honour those who sacrificed their lives during the Korean War. Their bravery laid the foundation for the nation we each enjoy today.

But in the story of Korea’s success, we often overlook the men and women who came after the war, who built our roads, railways, hospitals, and schools. They did not carry rifles; but bricks, textbooks, and medical charts. They raised children, served communities, and laid the infrastructure for everything that came next. Their contributions shaped modern Korea, but their final years are often lived in invisibility.

In care homes or day care centres across the country, risks few people talk about, and even fewer confront, exist. These elders, who once built the nation, now live behind closed doors, many in physical decline, some unable to speak or walk, entirely dependent on others for the most basic needs. For a small but devastating number, that dependence has made them targets of abuse, not just neglect, but in the darkest cases, sexual violence. And yet, when was the last time you heard this reported in the news?

In 2015, South Korea designated June 15th as the official Day for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, aligning with the United Nations’ World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Did you even know such a day existed? Maybe not, reflecting how deeply this issue remains buried in the national conscience.

This year, Korea became an ultra-aged society, with more than 10 million people aged 65 and over. Reported cases of elderly abuse rose from 3,532 in 2014 to 7,025 in 2023.

Many incidents go unreported, occurring in multi-generational households or involving professionals sent to care for the elderly. These abuses are often serial, not one-off cases, and result in victim depression and shortened lifespans.

Since the Long-Term Care Insurance Act was implemented in 2008, the number of older individuals in long-term care facilities has increased, as has reported abuse. Abuse in nursing homes was around 10% in 2017 and soared to 25.8% in 2021, nearly a quarter of all reported cases.

Between 2008 and 2022, “reported” sexual violence in care facilities rose from 1% to 2.5%. Sex crimes against the elderly, particularly those with dementia, seem too shocking to imagine, but they are real and serious. A common vulnerability exploited by offenders is the victim’s inability to report the abuse.

Offenders in this category have been identified as male caregivers, paid or unpaid, and victims are usually over 70 and dependent on others. But offenders can also include other residents, visiting family members, or delivery and maintenance personnel. Serial offenders may be motivated by sexual preference for the elderly, sadism, or simply the lower risk of being caught.

Older victims of sexual violence tend to suffer more physical trauma than younger victims, and even if they cannot communicate verbally, they may react to pain if touched in the genital or anal areas, identifying possible abuse. The betrayal of attacks occurring inside supposedly safe facilities adds further mental trauma.

Unscrupulous care home operators, prioritising business interests and fearing litigation, may quietly dismiss offending staff, allowing serial abusers to continue working elsewhere. Upon applying for their next role, the offending “caregiver” is unlikely to mention their previous position, instead manipulating their resumes to hide that period of employment.

Under existing law, the safeguards are narrow. Pre-employment criminal history checks apply only to those employed within registered elder care facilities, not to caregivers visiting private residences, and cover only crimes specifically related to elder abuse, not crimes committed against other vulnerable groups. Nor does it provide a nationwide caregiver blacklist. These laws must be tightened!

Relatives must be attentive to staff changes, and not be scared to conduct their own interviews. Awareness and vigilance do not mean assuming care homes are unsafe, but they do reduce risk. Some offenders have been caught after family members placed hidden cameras in their loved ones’ rooms.

Reporting of elderly sexual assault is increasing, but like many violent crimes, initial shock gives way to desensitisation. Stories move from front-page headlines to the middle pages, and eventually go unreported entirely.

When was the last time you saw a case of child sexual abuse splashed across the front pages, despite once dominating the news? Does that mean it is no longer happening? No; we do not see it because it no longer carries the same shock value, as if it has been quietly normalised.

For the generation who built this nation, silence is the deepest betrayal. We must not let the shock value fade.

Anthony Hegarty MSc The Korean version of this post was published in the Maeil Shinbun Newspaper (print edition) on October 2nd 2025. That version can be accessed here: 앤서니 헤가티의 범죄 심리-인사이드 아웃] 노인 성폭력:충격이 희미해지지 않게 하라 - 매일신문