There were more than 450 cases of unlawful sexual conduct or inappropriate sexual contact in Australian residential aged care in a three-month period between April and June last year, data from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission shows.
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The problem of sexual assault in what should be safe environment, has prompted the Older Persons Advocacy Network to launch a Charter of Sexual Rights in Residential Aged Care, which lays out the sexual rights of older people to engage in consensual intimacy and sexual activity; and the right to be safe from sexual assault.
The charter affirms the rights of people living in aged care to be free from any sexual activity not consented to.
It also affirms a person living in aged care has the right to engage in lawful sexual activity in the privacy of their own room; without fear of judgment or restriction by staff, if all participants have consented and the activity does not involve the harassment of staff; the right to continue existing sexual relationships and form new relationships; the right to change the way sexuality is expressed, including the right to change relationship patterns and gender expression/identity.
The charter is part of the #ReadyToListen project, which seeks to build the skills and capacity of residential aged care service providers to better respond to and prevent the sexual assault of older people living in aged care homes.
#ReadytoListen is a collaborative campaign with Celebrate Ageing and the Older Womens Network NSW.
"One sexual assault is one too many," said OPAN chief executive Craig Gear.
"As Australia's peak aged care advocacy organisation, OPAN's focus is prevention. The charter is designed to help all of us better identify the line between consensual sexual activity and sexual assault."
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Mr Gear said the responsibility did not simply rest with residential aged care service providers but that everyone had a part to play.
"Crisis support services, the police and the justice system, family violence and sexual assault services must all be made accessible to older people and people with dementia, so they are safe at home and in residential aged care."
The launch was chaired by dementia campaigner and researcher Kate Swaffer and attended by more than 50 key sector stakeholders.
The Older Persons Advocacy Network comprises nine state and territory members organisations. It offers free, independent and confidential support and information to older people seeking or already using federal government-funded aged care services along with their families and carers.
To connect with an aged care advocacy organisation in your state or territory, call 1800-700-600 or click here.
