Portland Nursing Home Sexual Abuse Lawyer

Portland Office: 6500 S Macadam Ave Suite 380, Portland, OR 97239 · Open 24/7 by phone · (971) 339-8080

Sexual Abuse of Elders in Oregon Care Facilities

Most older adults in long-term care never report sexual abuse. They depend on the people abusing them. They may have dementia, limited mobility, or limited communication. Families often discover what happened only after a worker is fired, a roommate speaks up, or a hospital exam finds physical evidence.

At Goldberg & Loren, our Portland nursing home sexual abuse attorneys represent older Oregonians and their families when sexual abuse occurs in a nursing home, assisted living facility, memory care unit, adult foster home, or residential care setting.

We pursue the abuser personally, the facility that failed to screen and supervise them, and any corporate owner whose understaffing or neglect allowed the abuse to continue. For survivors of related institutional abuse, see also our pages on clergy sexual abuse and Boy Scouts of America abuse.

What Counts as Sexual Abuse in an Oregon Care Facility

Under Oregon’s elder abuse statute, sexual abuse of a vulnerable person includes any of the following by a facility employee, contractor, or paid caregiver:

• Any sexual contact between an employee or paid caregiver and a resident, whether or not the resident appears to consent
• Any sexual contact achieved through force, trickery, threat, or coercion
• Sexual contact with a resident who lacks the capacity to consent due to dementia, intoxication, sedation, or cognitive impairment
• Forcing or coercing a resident to view sexual acts or sexual material
• Sexual exploitation, including sharing or photographing a resident’s body without consent

Common Warning Signs Families Notice First

• Unexplained bruising on inner thighs, breasts, genitals, or buttocks
• New torn, stained, or bloody undergarments or bedding
• A sudden sexually transmitted infection or recurring genital infections
• Withdrawn behavior, fear of being alone with a specific staff member, agitation during personal care
• New refusal to bathe or change clothing
• A staff member spending unusual one-on-one time behind closed doors with one resident
• Sudden onset of nightmares, depression, or PTSD-like symptoms in a previously stable resident

Why Oregon Law Favors Survivors and Families

Oregon’s civil action for elder abuse is one of the strongest in the United States. The legislature built it specifically to push facilities to invest in safer care.

• Treble damages: Under ORS 124.100, courts may award three times the actual economic and non-economic losses suffered by the victim.
• 7-year discovery SOL: A civil action must be filed within 7 years of discovering the abuse, which is meaningful time for families investigating after the fact.
• Attorney fees recovered: The statute lets the prevailing victim recover reasonable attorney fees, so facilities cannot starve survivors out of court.
• Facility and corporate liability: Owners, operators, and corporate chains can be sued for negligent hiring, supervision, and understaffing, not just the individual abuser.