The World Health Organisation defines elder abuse as “a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person.”
Elder abuse can be physical, psychological, emotional, sexual or financial in nature. It can also be the result of intentional or unintentional neglect. RLC most often encounters clients who experience abuse from an adult child who is still living at home and pressuring their parent or parents for money.
Clients relate that they have great difficulty in reporting the abuse to police. People will often delay reporting until the situation has deteriorated to the point that they fear for their safety in their own homes, and they have no alternative but to seek help.
Clients often reflect on the terrible conflict they feel when reporting the abusive actions of a loved family member, one who is often struggling with mental health or addiction issues.
Alice* reported being routinely pressured for money by her adult son James*, who lived in her home. James was becoming more and more mentally unstable. He had become socially isolated and was abusing cannabis. James spent days locked in his bedroom, only coming out for food or to pressure Alice for money for his drug dependency. Alice was often left without enough money to buy food and pay for utilities. Eventually, James’ abuse became physical. With Alice fearful for her safety, she went to police. Police charged James with assault and obtained an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO) with a condition preventing the James from living at Alice’s house. Within weeks, James had insinuated himself back into Alice’s home and the abuse continued, with Alice too scared to go to police. One day, a neighbour who heard Alice’s cries for help called the police, and James was charged with, and found guilty of, breach of the ADVO. The ADVO was changed to provide an exclusion zone around Alice’s house. But again, within weeks James had moved back into the house. The third report to police involved the use of a weapon and James was jailed. Alice still reports feelings of guilt because she feels she was, and remains, unable to help her mentally unwell son. * Names have been changed |
Research suggests that as many as 50,000 older people in NSW may have suffered some form of abuse. Alice’s story highlights the complexity and sensitive nature of the factors that make addressing elder abuse within families so difficult.
Encouragingly, in February the Attorney-General George Brandis announced a new Federal Inquiry for the Australian Law Reform Commission on Protecting the Rights of Older Australians from Abuse.
To read RLC's submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Elder Abuse in NSW, go here.
The NSW Elder Abuse and Help Line and Resource Unit encourages professionals dealing with older people to be pro-active in reporting abuse, either directly to police if there is the threat of immediate danger, or by calling the Helpline on 1800 628 221.
