Among myths to be dispelled are that it is just caregivers who perpetrate elder abuse, that the caregivers are females, and that the victims are very old and very dependent. A study was conducted of 102 elder abuse cases in Sheffield, England, between 1988 and 1992. Of the 103 victims, most (78 percent) were female; a majority (57 percent) were under 80 years old and not at all physically or mentally handicapped. Of the 113 abusers, most (73 percent) were male, and most had a personal or medical problem that might be considered the root cause for their abusive behavior--especially in situations of financial abuse, which were characterized by gambling debts and alcoholism. The systematic gang abuse of elderly persons is documented. In one case, a man was regularly tortured by four youths aged 11 to 15; in another, a man was financially abused by various school children and youths living on the same estate. The success of regular thefts of an 84-year-old woman rested on the fact that no one believed her complaints because of her occasional bouts with senility. Two young girls regularly had sex with a wealthy 70-year-old man in order to divert his attention while other youths searched his premises for money. 17 references