A disabled Roanoke County man speaks out about abuse

You've seen and heard about domestic violence and many times it's a woman being abused. Rarely do you see a man come forward and admit he’s being abused. But Jeffrey Buterbaugh lives in Roanoke County and has been abused over the past couple years.

On Easter Sunday, Jeffrey Buterbaugh was sent to the hospital. "After the third hit she knocked me onto the floor. She has a wicked temper and had a set of keys in her hand," Buterbaugh said.

Buterbaugh was sent to the hospital with a dislocated shoulder, a swollen face, and a cut over his eye. The abuser is his own daughter.

Buterbaugh has been in a wheelchair for about six years. He's had two strokes and suffers from advanced Parkinson’s disease.

One year ago, his wife died from breast cancer and that's when his daughter and her husband moved in. That's also when the physical and mental abuse started.

"The mental abuse is what scares you, that's what keeps me up at night. I'd rather take a punch because it hurts for five seconds and then it's over. The mental abuse, it just goes on," said Buterbaugh.

On Thursday, May 5, 2016, Jeffrey had to go to Roanoke County court for a hearing. He had to be escorted by D.A.D. because he'd been receiving threats.

We talked to Adult Protective Services in Roanoke County and victims, like Buterbaugh especially, rarely come forward.

Family Services Supervisor Dawn Riddle has been working with victims for a long time. "I've worked here sixteen years and I can't think of an incident where we've actually had a man self-report, or say this is happening to me and I need help in regard to abuse."

From June 1, 2015 to May 4, 2016 more than 650 reports were made in Roanoke County. Out of those, a little over 250 were substantiated. Here’s how the numbers broke down:

- 166 self-neglect

- 53 neglect

- 28 financial exploitation

- 6 other exploitation

- 3 sexual abuse

- 9 mental abuse

- 13 physical abuse.

But Adult Protective Services admits, there were actually more than 13 cases of physical abuse, these are just the ones that came forward.

"If they're not saying, yes, this is happening please help me, we have to walk away," Riddle said. "We see children abusing their adult parents and it’s difficult to provide assistance because they don't want to see negative consequences happen to their loved ones."

Buterbaugh’s case was the same. He never actually came forward, it was medical staff that discovered the abuse after he was sent to the hospital. "If it's a stranger it doesn't hurt as much. When it's a family member, you know them, you love them, you respect them, you trust them. They are the one’s who are supposed to protect you,” said Buterbaugh.

Jeffrey's daughter was convicted of assault and battery but she appealed and is out on bond. Her next hearing is June 21st.