Spotlight: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

Did you know, 1 in 6 people in Australia experienced elder abuse in the past year?

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is on Saturday, 15 June 2024.

On this day people are encouraged to make a united stand against all forms of abuse against older people in our global communities. In the lead up to this particular day, passionate Kwinana Senior community members, City staff and elected members stood together at the local shopping centre to raise awareness about this prevalent and devasting issue.

This year’s shared theme in WA is ‘Wise Up, Rise Up against elder abuse.’

What is elder abuse?

Elder abuse comes in many forms. It can be financial, emotional, psychological, physical, sexual, or social. Elder abuse can occur once, or many times and can vary in severity from subtle through to extreme. It can include one or a combination of the different types of abuse.

Most often, elder abuse is carried out by someone known to the older person, with two thirds of abusers being an adult child. Abusers can also be other family members, relatives, or friends.

Elder abuse affects people of all genders and all walks of life. The abuse, however, disproportionately affects women – two-thirds of people seeking help from SRV are women.

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and LGBTQI+ communities are additionally vulnerable, as are older people living in rural and regional communities.

Getting help

For assistance with potential or actual cases of elder abuse, refer to information on the elder abuse phone line: 1800 ELDERHelp (1800 353 374). Abuse of older people is a complex issue which is often caused by someone who is trusted by the older person, such as a family member, friend, professional, or paid caregiver.

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