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Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) and Erie County District Attorney Frank Sedita announced a $150,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice which will work to protect seniors and train law enforcement and community agencies on the issue of elder abuse.
“Your home, whether you are 5 or 105 years old, should be a safe haven, but for far too many Americans and Western New Yorkers their residence is not a place where they are sheltered from violence,” said Higgins. “With this grant, under District Attorney Sedita’s leadership, Erie County will develop a proactive and coordinated approach to detecting and preventing abuse targeting older residents. It is one of many efforts underway to reduce the incidence and impact of domestic violence.”
“When I took office last January, I pledged to pursue the prosecution of those criminals who prey upon our most vulnerable fellow citizens, our elderly. Our grandmothers, grandfathers and their peers are members of what has been described as ‘The Greatest Generation’ but too often fall victim to crime because they are unable to protect themselves. By training law enforcement, prosecutors and community agencies to be more aware of the signs of elder abuse, we can more effectively assist seniors in our community,” Sedita said. “I thank Candace Vogel, our Elder Abuse prosecutor, and all of our partners in this initiative for the dedication they have shown in protecting some of the most vulnerable members of our community”.
Legal Services for the Elderly in conjunction with the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, City of Buffalo Police, Crisis Services and the Erie County Department of Senior Services will work collaboratively to develop a multidisciplinary approach to addressing elder abuse in Erie County. The partners will conduct a community needs assessment, continue the efforts of the Elder Abuse Coalition, develop a collaborative community response and conduct training for organizations serving victims of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.
“We are thrilled to have been chosen by the Department of Justice to further their efforts to prevent violence in later life,” said Legal Services for the Elderly CEO Karen Nicolson, Esq. “This issue is just starting to receive the National attention it deserves. Due to the efforts of our coalition, we are ahead of the curve in Erie County in starting to address this problem. This grant will enable us to continue and expand our work and develop a model for other communities struggling with this issue.”
According to the Erie County Coalition Against Family Violence, 2.5 million Americans are victims of abuse, with people 65 years and older representing the fastest growing segment of that population. The national cost of partner violence annually exceeds $5.8 billion, including $4.1 billion in direct health care expenses.
District Attorney Sedita’s office includes a Domestic Violence Bureau that is staffed by specially trained Attorneys, professional social workers and advocates providing comprehensive assistance to victims of domestic crimes while their case is in Buffalo City Court, or one of the local Town/Village courts. The Social Workers act to provide victims with a safety plan, offer crisis counseling, education about domestic violence and the court system, and referrals and linkage to such services as shelters, counseling, and emergency housing.
The grant was awarded through the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), a component of the U.S. Department of Justice, which works to reduce family violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Research estimates that the VAWA, enacted 15 years ago, saved nearly $14.8 billion in net averted social costs in its first 6 years alone.
Today’s grant announcement is the latest in a series of Department of Justice awards that will benefit local programs that prevent violence and protect victims. The International Institute of Buffalo was awarded $299,873 through a program that provides grants to enhance culturally and linguistically specific services for victims of domestic Violence, dating violence, sexual Assault and stalking. In addition, the Research foundation Of SUNY at Buffalo State College will receive $300,000 through the Grants to Reduce Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking on Campus program.
Congress first designated October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in 1989 following a movement by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence to better connect advocates across the nation who were working to end violence against women and their children. Help is available for victims of abuse through the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
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