Mickey Rooney to Take Stand Against Elder Abuse

March 2, 2011— -- Actor Mickey Rooney, who was recently granted court protection from his stepchildren after allegations of abuse, is expected to testify on Capitol Hill today that he "felt trapped, scared, used and frustrated."

"For years I suffered silently, unable to muster the courage to seek the help I knew I needed," according to remarks he's scheduled to deliver in Washington on the topic of elder abuse before a Senate committee on aging.

Rooney, 90, who has had one of the longest careers of any actor, filed a case against stepson Chris Aber and stepdaughter Christina Aber last month charging verbal, emotional and financial abuse, and alleging that they denied him such basic necessities as food and medicine.

"All I want to do is live a peaceful life, to regain my life and be happy," Rooney said in a statement to his fans. "I pray to God each day to protect us, help us endure and guide those other senior citizens who are also suffering."

The goal of the senate hearing, entitled "Justice for All: Ending Elder Abuse, Neglect and Financial Exploitation," is to draw attention to the widely underreported problem and coordinate federal, state and local efforts to combat it.

"It's a really sad but important issue and Mr. Rooney is definitely lending his star power to it," committee spokesman Joe Bonfiglio said.

In his testimony, Rooney will say, "I felt trapped, scared, used and frustrated. But, above all, I felt helpless. For years I suffered silently, unable to muster the courage to seek the help I knew I needed."

Bonfiglio said he hopes Rooney's testimony will encourage other victims to stand up for themselves.

"I think a lot of people are going to see Mickey Rooney and say, 'If it can happen to him, it can happen to anyone,'" he said. "If someone is currently a victim, I think his testimony will give them the courage to stand up and get help."