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Abuse of older people is at “unprecedented levels” according to a major charity.
Hourglass, formerly Action on Elder Abuse, said a commissioned survey suggests that one in five people over the age of 65 in the UK have been abused. The charity estimates this equates to 2.7 million fatalities across the UK.
Previous estimates put the figure considerably lower. The World Health Organization estimates that – globally – one in six people aged 60 or over have experienced some form of abuse in the past year.
“I was really shocked,” said Richard Robinson, CEO of Hourglass. “Although we have known for a long time that we live in a world that is biased towards older people, the results show how widespread the problem is. These figures really shed light on the real extent of the crisis. “
Robinson said the findings confirmed what the charity has long suspected: that elder abuse has long been underreported by authorities.
“Our survey shows that while people know that elder abuse is a problem in the UK today, there is a total disconnect between awareness of the problem and a true understanding of the role we all play in preventing abuse.” .
The pandemic is believed to have contributed to the problem.
In March, Hourglass warned that the isolation and lockdown would act as a “pressure cooker” for elder abuse.
The charity suggested that, in conditions of isolation, older people lacked the guarantees that they would have previously existed through daily contact with the outside world.
“The lockdown has undoubtedly been difficult for many of us, but for some, staying at home is more than a temporary inconvenience – it can be downright dangerous,” said Dame Vera Baird QC, Commissioner for Victims for England and Wales. “The Covid-19 pandemic has further increased the risk of abuse for vulnerable groups, such as the elderly. These groups are often unable to speak openly and now lack the guarantees of daily contact with neighbors, friends and the outside world. “
The Hourglass poll revealed that people have mixed views on what constitutes elder abuse. More than a third of people did not believe that “inappropriate sexual acts directed at older people” were considered abuse.
Surprisingly, nearly as many – 30% – did not consider “pushing, hitting or beating an older person” to be abuse. A similar proportion – 32% – did not believe that “taking valuables from the home of an elderly relative without asking” constituted abuse.
“While I have no doubt that the vast majority of people don’t consider themselves abusive, the truth is that a troubling percentage of those we interviewed don’t actually see some very harmful behavior as abuse,” said Robinson. “If you don’t think it’s abusive to sexually assault an older person or take money out of their bank account without permission – and more than a third of people don’t – then you’re much more likely to perpetuate the cycle of abuse. problem. “
“These latest Hourglass results are both troubling and unacceptable,” Baird said. “Abuse of older people is a significant problem and unfortunately too often goes under the radar.”
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