[Psychic consequences on the elderly of sexual abuse in their youth]

Three women, aged 64, 65 and 60 years, who were admitted for psychopathology revealed for the first time that they had been sexually abused as a child by a relative. The first woman sought help following the death of her husband, the second after her daughter was raped, and the third suffered from increasing cognitive impairment. Through therapy, they learned how to process their history of incest. In psychiatric patients, the prevalence of sexual abuse in their youth varies from 5-45% in different studies, depending on the definition of sexual abuse. Two Dutch studies of elderly psychiatric inpatients found a prevalence of 16% sexual abuse in 32 male and female patients and 8% in 110 female patients, respectively. Sexual abuse may have a great, lifelong impact on the victims. Many psychiatric and psychological consequences are found in adult populations, but no study has yet included the elderly. All clinicians should be aware that signs and symptoms in the elderly might be related to sexual abuse.