Elder abuse: forgotten family violence issue
The family violence sector is not prepared to deal with or respond to elder abuse,which is a fast growing and complicated issue, according to a recent submission to the Royal Commission.
Kaz Mackay, Eastern Community Legal Centre elder abuse prevention coordinator, says the issue of elder abuse has remained hidden for too long.
About 6% of Australians will experience some form of elder abuse – that’s approximately 180,000 people at this very moment.
Victorian Minister for Family Violence, Fiona Richardson, commented that, after meeting with police Family Violence Response Unit from Preston, her biggest surprise was adult children harming older parents.
The Eastern Elder Abuse Network (EEAN), auspiced by Eastern Community Legal Centre (ECLC), recently finalised their submission to the Royal Commission into family violence on elder abuse, entitled ‘Elder abuse – the forgotten family violence issue’.
Tellingly, the original terms of reference of the Royal Commission review did not include elder abuse.
The submission highlights the fact that the family violence sector is not geared up to deal with or respond to this fast growing and complicated issue. One third of elder abuse victims are men, and one half of the abusers are women. The most common abusers are adult children.
Kaz Mackay, ECLC’s elder abuse prevention coordinator, says the issue of elder abuse has remained hidden for too long.
“Seniors in our community are very reluctant to take action or criticise their adult children and relatives. But this leaves them more open to abuse and the professionals in the network are sadly hearing horror stories everyday,” Ms Mackay says.
EEAN has urged the state government to act immediately to address the crying need for age specific services for victims of elder abuse and their families, before the incidence of elder abuse becomes epidemic in Victoria.
EEAN comprises about 100 professional organisations representing a broad range of agencies, councils, hospitals, aged care, police, legal and support services across the Eastern Metropolitan Region.
The Royal Commission submission makes a series of recommendations covering prevention, awareness, professional education and age specific and gender inclusive legal and support services.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is on 15 June 2015.
