Going purple to raise awareness of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
Published on 13 June 2017
Iconic Mildura landmarks will turn a shade of purple this week as a show of support for our elderly residents.
Purple is the colour used to symbolise World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) which is commemorated internationally on 15 June, with local events held during the week to promote respect and dignity for our older residents.
The Carnegie Library, Rio Vista Historic House and the Grand Hotel will be lit purple this Thursday night to highlight this sometimes hidden issue.
Mildura Rural City Councillor for Community Wellbeing and Services Ali Cupper said that according to World Health Organization statistics, one in 10 older people experience abuse on a monthly basis and it’s a problem which is getting worse, highlighting the need to raise awareness about the problem with events such as WEAAD.
“Our elderly residents are valued members of our community and have earned the right to feel safe and enjoy a quality standard of living,” Cr Cupper said.
“It’s simply not acceptable that they should be made to feel unsafe or threatened.”
Cr Cupper said it was important to highlight that abuse could take many forms – it didn’t have to be physical abuse.
Psychological and financial abuse are the most common forms of elder abuse and include name-calling, bullying and harassment. Financial abuse can include taking an older person’s money or belongings, forcing them to sell their home or moving into their home without permission.
Cr Cupper said one of the most disturbing trends was the fact that in Victoria the most commonly reported perpetrators were the children of victims. According to the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI), 67 per cent of cases involved sons or daughters as perpetrators.
Husbands or wives were responsible for only a small proportion of cases according to the NARI study, with older women more likely to be victims.
An Elder Abuse Awareness Expo will be held in the Langtree Mall this Thursday from midday as part of this week’s activities, with support service providers available to discuss this often hidden tragedy.
Council’s Aged and Disability staff are also encouraging everyone in the community to wear something purple this Thursday to highlight this important social issue.
“We really want to get the message out there and encourage people to report instances of elder abuse to the appropriate authorities,” Cr Cupper said.
More information about elder abuse is available from www.seniorsrights.org.au or by contacting Seniors Rights Victoria on 1300 368 821.
ENDS