◀ Anchor ▶
It has been confirmed that a sexual assault took place in a nursing home in Ulsan, where suspicion of abuse of elderly people recently arose.
Four months ago, a report was received of an elderly man sexually abusing an elderly woman, but the agency specializing in the protection of the elderly did not notify the police, and it emerged that it was only notified after several family members from this fact. months.
Reporter Lee Yong-ju covered the story exclusively.
◀ Report ▶
A nursing home in Ulsan.
A report has been received that older people with dementia have been abused, such as being tied to their beds all day, and an investigation is underway.
However, in mid-July, the Ulsan Advanced Protection Agency received a report that an elderly man in the nursing home had touched or exposed his body to several elderly women for four months.
An official from a nursing home who was working at the time testified to reporters that he had seen an elderly man lying in the bed of an elderly woman several times.
Most elderly victims are said to be suffering from dementia and could not cope properly.
However, the problem arose after receiving the report.
Although there was a report of a sexual assault, the police did not investigate.
[울산동구청 관계자]
“The (elderly protection agency) said that at the time. To be honest, it’s a bit difficult to report things like this to the police. Because the elderly with dementia do it to the elderly with dementia. Even if you’re reporting on the police investigation, it’s really a big deal…”
The nursing home only took measures to move the elderly female victims to another floor, and the elderly male was released after being in the nursing home for a month and a half.
Even the guardians of the elderly victims were not informed of this fact.
Two months later, when the supervisory agency, the Ulsan Dong-gu Office, learned about cases of sexual violence, it emerged that they only contacted the guardians afterwards.
The agency that specializes in protecting the elderly replied, “It is not their responsibility to contact the guardians” for not informing the guardians immediately about the damage of sexual violence.
[노인 보호 전문기관 관계자]
“We’re an agency that investigates reports of elder abuse… so it’s not something we can say or do.”
Even if a sexual assault occurs in a nursing home, it is difficult for the elderly or family members to know about it, let alone legal protection.
[홍정련/울산 장애인인권복지협회 대표]
“Especially for those who cannot express their opinion, I think this is the basic thing that the family should know about these judgments first.”
In September, two months later, the agency which specializes in protecting the elderly made a ruling of ‘neglect and abuse’ by asking the nursing home for management responsibility only.
This is Lee Yong-ju from MBC News.
Video comment: Choi Chang-won, Jeon Sang-beom (Ulsan)
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