Elder abuse: how to identify and report it?
Verified 06 March 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Elder abuse is manifested by gestures, words, actions or omissions affecting the rights, needs or health of the victim (e.g. beating, bullying or lack of appropriate care). A specialized cell receives reports from victims or witnesses of abuse. In certain cases, the competent administrative and/or judicial authorities must be alerted. We present you the information to know.
The rules for reporting acts of ill-treatment differ depending on the situation of the person reporting such acts: victim, witness not subject to professional secrecy, witness bound to professional secrecy.
Victim
If you are an older person and you are experiencing abuse (physical, psychological, financial, etc.), you can talk to a loved one you trust.
They may be a member of your family or friends (for example, your doctor, the nurse who takes care of you, a social worker).
FYI
You can receive daily visits from your loved ones (children, friends, etc.) if you consent. It is not necessary to notify the institution in which you are located.
You can also contact the national platform for reporting abuse of vulnerable people.
Who shall I contact
Listening, support and assistance for the elderly or disabled, caregivers and witnesses of abuse.
By phone
3133
Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 7pm
Free call and service
A specially trained agent will listen to you and give you advice on the steps to be taken.
In addition, it will transmit your report to the cell responsible for collecting, monitoring and processing reports of abuse.
In order to guarantee your anonymity, you can use a pseudonym or ask not to be recalled.
Witness
If you witness abuse of an elderly person, you have the obligation to report them.
The steps to be taken vary according to the place of residence of the elderly person.
Any act of abuse must be reported to the national abuse reporting platform (3133).
If the abuse results in acts of deprivation (e.g. care, food), ill-treatment or sexual assault, administrative and judicial authorities shall be alerted.
In all cases, you must provide these authorities with all information about the abuse you witnessed.
Reporting to 3133
As a witness to acts of abuse against an elderly person, you must report to 3133.
Who shall I contact
Listening, support and assistance for the elderly or disabled, caregivers and witnesses of abuse.
By phone
3133
Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 7pm
Free call and service
A specially trained agent will listen to you and give you advice on the steps to be taken.
In addition, it will transmit your report to the cell responsible for collecting, monitoring and processing reports of abuse.
Please note
In order to guarantee your anonymity, you can use a pseudonym or ask not to be recalled.
Reporting to judicial and administrative authorities
If you witness a situation of serious abuse (example: starvation, sexual assault), you must also alert the competent administrative authorities.
In case of emergency (immediate danger), you have the obligation to make a report to the judicial authorities.
General case
Municipality of the Metropolis of Lyon
It is necessary to contact the Metropolis of Lyon.
Who shall I contact
Other municipality
When the victim is in a nursing home or nursing home, the competent administrative authorities are:
- The departmental council of the place where the establishment is located
- The Regional Health Agency of the victim's place of residence
You can contact these 2 administrations by email, telephone or postal mail.
Emergency (immediate danger)
Your report must be sent, by telephone or by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, to the public prosecutor the location of the institution in which the abuse occurred.
Who shall I contact
It can also be done in writing, by telephone or on site at the police station or gendarmerie brigade of your choice.
Who shall I contact
Who shall I contact
The judicial authorities will take the necessary measures to put an end to the ill-treatment of the elderly.
If you become aware of such a situation and do not report it to the competent authorities, you shall be liable to:
- 3 years in prison
- and €45,000 of a fine.
FYI
If you witness physical abuse (e.g. beatings, sexual assault) and do not help the victim, you may be prosecuted for non-assistance to a person in danger.
Any act of abuse must be reported to the national abuse reporting platform (3133).
If the abuse results in acts of deprivation (e.g. care, food), ill-treatment or sexual assault, administrative and judicial authorities shall be alerted.
In all cases, you must provide these authorities with all information about the abuse you witnessed.
Reporting to 3133
As a witness to acts of abuse against an elderly person, you must report to 3133.
Who shall I contact
Listening, support and assistance for the elderly or disabled, caregivers and witnesses of abuse.
By phone
3133
Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 7pm
Free call and service
A specially trained agent will listen to you and give you advice on the steps to be taken.
In addition, it will transmit your report to the cell responsible for collecting, monitoring and processing reports of abuse.
Please note
In order to guarantee your anonymity, you can use a pseudonym or ask not to be recalled.
Reporting to judicial and administrative authorities
If you witness a situation of serious abuse (example: starvation, sexual assault), you must alert the competent administrative authorities.
In case of emergency (immediate danger), you have the obligation to make a report to the judicial authorities.
General case
Municipality of the Metropolis of Lyon
It is necessary to contact the Metropolis of Lyon.
Who shall I contact
Other municipality
Where the victim is at home or with a relative, the competent administrative authorities shall be:
- The departmental council of the place where the establishment is located
- The Regional Health Agency of the victim's place of residence
You can contact these 2 administrations by email, telephone or postal mail.
Your report leads to an investigation within the institution concerned. THEARS: titleContent and the county council may ask the head of the establishment to stop the maltreatment observed.
A temporary or permanent closure of the structure may be envisaged.
Emergency (immediate danger)
Your report must be sent, by telephone or by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, to the public prosecutor the location of the institution in which the abuse occurred.
Who shall I contact
It can also be done in writing, by telephone or on site at the police station or gendarmerie brigade of your choice.
Who shall I contact
Who shall I contact
The judicial authorities will take the necessary measures to put an end to the ill-treatment of the elderly.
If you become aware of such a situation and do not report it to the competent authorities, you shall be liable to:
- 3 years in prison
- and €45,000 of a fine.
FYI
If you witness physical abuse (e.g. beatings, sexual assault) and do not help the victim, you may be prosecuted for non-assistance to a person in danger.
Any act of abuse must be reported to the national abuse reporting platform (3133).
If the abuse results in acts of deprivation (e.g. care, food), ill-treatment or sexual assault, the administrative and judicial authorities shall be alerted.
In all cases, you must provide these authorities with all information about the abuse you witnessed.
Reporting to 3133
As a witness to acts of mistreatment of an elderly person, you must report to 3133.
Who shall I contact
Listening, support and assistance for the elderly or disabled, caregivers and witnesses of abuse.
By phone
3133
Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 7pm
Free call and service
A specially trained officer will listen to you and give you advice on how to stop the abuse.
In addition, it will transmit your report to the cell responsible for collecting, monitoring and processing reports of abuse.
Please note
In order to guarantee your anonymity, you can use a pseudonym or ask not to be recalled.
Reporting to judicial and administrative authorities
If you are in a situation of serious abuse (example: starvation, sexual assault), you must alert the competent administrative authority.
In case of emergency (immediate danger), you have the obligation to make a report to the judicial authorities.
General case
When the victim is in hospital, cases of abuse should be reported directly to theARS: titleContent the place of residence of the elderly person.
You can report abuse by e-mail, telephone or postal mail.
Your report leads to an investigation within the institution concerned. THEARS: titleContent may ask the person in charge of the establishment to put an end to the maltreatment observed.
A temporary or permanent closure of the structure may be envisaged.
Emergency (immediate danger)
Your report must be sent, by telephone or by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, to the public prosecutor the location of the institution in which the abuse occurred.
Who shall I contact
It can also be done in writing, by phone or on site at the police station or gendarmerie brigade of your choice.
Who shall I contact
Who shall I contact
The judicial authorities will take the necessary measures to put an end to the ill-treatment of the elderly.
If you become aware of such a situation and do not report it to the competent authorities, you shall be liable to:
- 3 years in prison
- and €45,000 of a fine.
FYI
If you witness physical abuse and do not help the victim (by any means), you can be prosecuted for non-assistance to a person in danger.
Witness bound by professional secrecy
Health, social or medico-social professionals (e.g. doctor, nurse, social worker) are bound by professional secrecy.
However, if you witness elder abuse, you can report to the medical, administrative and judicial authorities.
If there is a serious and immediate danger to the elderly person (example: a life-threatening risk), you must make this report. If you don't, you can be sued for non-assistance to a person in danger.
The means of reporting abuse differ depending on the victim's place of residence.
If you witness abuse of an elderly person, you can report them to the national reporting platform for vulnerable abuse (3133).
You can also alert the competent administrative and judicial authorities.
Abuse can manifest as:
- Deprivation (e.g. care, food)
- Physical, psychological or sexual violence (e.g. beatings, humiliation)
- One sexual assault
Reporting to 3133
As a witness to acts of mistreatment of an elderly person, you can report to 3133.
Who shall I contact
Listening, support and assistance for the elderly or disabled, caregivers and witnesses of abuse.
By phone
3133
Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 7pm
Free call and service
A specially trained officer will listen to you and give you advice on how to stop the abuse.
In addition, it will transmit your report to the cell responsible for collecting, monitoring and processing reports of abuse.
Please note
In order to guarantee your anonymity, you can use a pseudonym or ask not to be recalled.
Reporting to judicial and administrative authorities
If you witness a situation of abuse, you can alert the competent administrative authority.
In case of emergency (immediate danger), you can also contact the judicial authorities.
You must give them all the information about the abuse that you are aware of.
FYI
To make this report, you must obtain the consent of the victim.
General case
When the victim resides in nursing homes or retirement homes, the competent administrative authority is the departmental council of the place where the institution is located.
FYI
If the abuse takes place in an establishment located in one of the municipalities of the Lyon MetropolisHowever, the departmental council is not competent. It is necessary to contact the Metropolis of Lyon.
Who shall I contact
Your report leads to an investigation within the institution concerned. The county council may ask the head of the establishment to stop the maltreatment observed.
A temporary or permanent closure of the structure may be envisaged.
Emergency (immediate danger)
Your report must be sent, by telephone or by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, to the public prosecutor the location of the institution in which the abuse occurred.
Who shall I contact
It can also be done in writing, by telephone or on site at the police station or gendarmerie brigade of your choice.
Who shall I contact
Who shall I contact
The judicial authorities will take the necessary measures to put an end to the ill-treatment of the elderly.
FYI
Whether you are an employee or a public official, your civil liability cannot be hired if you have reported an abuse of an elderly person.
In case of breach of your employment contract, you can refer the matter to the labor court.
If you witness abuse of an elderly person, you can report them to the national reporting platform for vulnerable abuse (3133).
You can also alert the competent administrative and judicial authorities.
Abuse can manifest as:
- Deprivation (e.g. care, food)
- Physical, psychological or sexual violence (e.g. beatings, humiliation)
- One sexual assault
Reporting to 3133
As a witness to acts of mistreatment of an elderly person, you can report to 3133.
Who shall I contact
Listening, support and assistance for the elderly or disabled, caregivers and witnesses of abuse.
By phone
3133
Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 7pm
Free call and service
A specially trained officer will listen to you and give you advice on how to stop the abuse.
In addition, it will transmit your report to the cell responsible for collecting, monitoring and processing reports of abuse.
Please note
In order to guarantee your anonymity, you can use a pseudonym or ask not to be recalled.
Reporting to judicial and administrative authorities
If you witness a situation of abuse, you can alert the competent administrative authority.
In case of emergency (immediate danger), you can also contact the judicial authorities.
You must give them all the information about the abuse that you are aware of.
FYI
To make this report, you must obtain the consent of the victim.
General case
When the victim is at home or with a relative, the competent administrative authority is the departmental council of the place where the establishment is located.
FYI
If the abused person resides in one of the municipalities of the Lyon MetropolisHowever, the departmental council is not competent. It is necessary to contact the Metropolis of Lyon.
Who shall I contact
Your report leads to an investigation within the institution concerned. The county council may ask the head of the establishment to stop the maltreatment observed.
A temporary or permanent closure of the structure may be envisaged.
Emergency (immediate danger)
Your report must be sent, by telephone or by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, to the public prosecutor the location of the institution in which the abuse occurred.
Who shall I contact
It can also be done in writing, by telephone or on site at the police station or gendarmerie brigade of your choice.
Who shall I contact
Who shall I contact
The judicial authorities will take the necessary measures to put an end to the ill-treatment of the elderly.
FYI
Whether you are an employee or a public official, your civil liability cannot be hired if you have reported an abuse of an elderly person.
In case of breach of your employment contract, you can refer the matter to the labor court.
If you witness abuse of an elderly person, you can report them to the national reporting platform for vulnerable abuse (313).
You can also alert the competent administrative and judicial authorities.
Abuse can manifest as:
- Deprivation (e.g. care, food)
- Physical, psychological or sexual violence (e.g. beatings, humiliation)
- One sexual assault
Reporting to 3133
As a witness to acts of mistreatment of an elderly person, you can report to 3133.
Who shall I contact
Listening, support and assistance for the elderly or disabled, caregivers and witnesses of abuse.
By phone
3133
Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 7pm
Free call and service
A specially trained officer will listen to you and give you advice on how to stop the abuse.
In addition, it will transmit your report to the cell responsible for collecting, monitoring and processing reports of abuse.
Please note
In order to guarantee your anonymity, you can use a pseudonym or ask not to be recalled.
Reporting to judicial and administrative authorities
If you witness a situation of abuse, you can alert the competent administrative authority.
In case of emergency (immediate danger), you can also contact the judicial authorities.
You must give them all the information about the abuse that you are aware of.
FYI
To make this report, you must obtain the consent of the victim.
General case
When the victim is in hospital, the competent administrative authority is the departmental council of the place where the institution is located.
Your report leads to an investigation within the institution concerned. The county council may ask the head of the establishment to stop the maltreatment observed.
A temporary or permanent closure of the structure may be envisaged.
Emergency (immediate danger)
Your report must be sent, by telephone or by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, to the public prosecutor the location of the institution in which the abuse occurred.
Who shall I contact
It can also be done in writing, by phone or on site at the police station or gendarmerie brigade of your choice.
Who shall I contact
Who shall I contact
The judicial authorities will take the necessary measures to put an end to the ill-treatment of the elderly.
FYI
Whether you are an employee or a public official, your civil liability cannot be hired if you have reported an abuse of an elderly person.
In case of breach of your employment contract, you can refer the matter to the labor court.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Elder and Disabled Abuse - 3133
Listening, support and assistance for the elderly or disabled, caregivers and witnesses of abuse.
By phone
3133
Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 7pm
Free call and service
Rights of persons hospitalized or in a retirement home
Reporting abuse
Reporting of deprivation, ill-treatment and sexual assault
Derogations from the obligation to respect professional secrecy
Protection of officers who report abuse in a nursing home or hospital
Non-assistance to a person in danger
National Solidarity Fund for Autonomy (CNSA)