Victoria Police is urging the community to recognise the signs of elder abuse, including in Wyndham, with the number of people subjected to the crime on the rise.
Figures from the Crime Statistics Agency show the number of elder abuse victims over the age of 65 has increased by more than 40 per cent in the last five years in Victoria.
In the year to March, there’s been a total of 5739 reports. Two thirds of victims are women and a third are male.
Elder abuse is any act which causes harm to an older person and is often carried out by someone they know and trust, such as family, friends or carers.
It’s a complex, hidden crime – which can occur regardless of a person’s gender, sexuality, culture, ethnicity, religious or socio-economic background.
Elder abuse also takes many forms and usually doesn’t occur in isolation. Examples can include financial, physical, emotional or psychological, social, or neglect.
Financial abuse: using someone’s money, property or other assets illegally or improperly or forcing someone to change their will or sign documents. Police are seeing cost of living pressures contribute to an increase in reports of financial abuse.
Physical abuse: includes assaulting or causing personal injury to a family member or threatening to assault or cause personal injury
Emotional or psychological abuse: behaviour by one person towards another person that torments, intimidates, harasses or is offensive to the other person. May include threats to pets or to withhold access to loved ones such as grandchildren
Social abuse: Stopping the older person from participating in usual forms of enjoyment
Neglect: failing to provide the basic necessities of life, either intentionally or unintentionally.
Victims of elder abuse are typically reluctant to report this type of crime as they do not want to get their family member into trouble or because they are dependent on the perpetrator for care or company.
Victoria Police is committed to responding to all forms of family violence and is calling on senior Victorians to report any form of abuse they might receive from family members, carers or friends and if they need help.
Family Violence Command assistant commissioner Lauren Callaway said elder abuse can happen in a number of settings and can often be at the hands of a family member or even a paid carer.
“Some abuse involves psychological manipulation and intimidation – the threat that if you don’t do this or that, we will put you in an aged care home,” she said.
“There could also be adult children trying to sell the house without consent, or maybe the older family member is forced into childcare or other work against their will.
“All of these forms of abuse fall under the umbrella of family violence and should be reported to police because any attack on an elderly person or any other vulnerable person within our community is unacceptable.
“We encourage senior Victorians to contact police if they are being abused, as well as any community members who have concerns about possible elder abuse.”
Victorians can contact Triple Zero or Seniors’ Rights Victoria on the organisation’s free confidential helpline.
Details: 1300 368 821 or seniorsrights.org.au.
