ECCV’s elder abuse prevention programs are empowering older people from migrant and refugee backgrounds to know their rights and seek help
Elder abuse is defined 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 take various forms, including financial, physical, psychological, emotional and sexual abuse, or neglect.
Since 2012, ECCV has been delivering culturally appropriate community education programs to raise awareness of elder abuse among older Victorians from migrant and refugee backgrounds.
In collaboration with Seniors Rights Victoria, ECCV’s Elder Abuse Prevention Project delivers targeted community outreach and information sessions to seniors groups, exploring how to identify, address and prevent elder abuse.
ECCV also runs a free Elder Abuse Community Educator Training program for bicultural workers and community leaders. This flagship ECCV program is vital to addressing and preventing elder abuse in multicultural communities across the state. People from migrant and refugee backgrounds experience multiple and unique forms of disadvantage that place them at greater risk of elder abuse.
Ahead are two difficult situations of elder abuse experienced by participants in the program, and how the information sessions helped them to understand their rights and take action.
Nadia’s story
Nadia (not her real name) is an Afghan woman in her sixties who migrated to Australia with her husband and adult children. She does not speak English and is illiterate in her native language Hazaragi. Soon after arriving, she joined weekly group activities at Foundation House in Dandenong, which included an information session for seniors led by ECCV about elder abuse prevention.
In the introduction to the session, some participants were surprised to hear that elder abuse occurred in their community, citing religious teachings that stress the importance of respecting elders and caring for them with dignity.
As the session progressed, more and more attendees started to recognise examples of elder abuse in their own lives or the lives of people they knew. They had not previously identified these experiences as elder abuse.
Nadia and the other participants were given resources about elder abuse, including details of organisations that can support them.
At the end of the session, she stood up confidently, holding the resources with a smile and said, “When I go home, I will gather all my children around me, show them the brochure, and say out loud: ‘I know my rights and where to get help. No one can do to me things that I don’t like and don’t allow. I have the right to be respected and treated nicely.’”
Sikh group seeks help
Earlier this year, ECCV’s Ageing Well team collaborated with a bicultural community educator fluent in Punjabi to deliver an information session on elder abuse prevention for a Sikh community group.
During the session, the educator discussed the issue of visa abuse, which occurs when someone exploits another person’s visa status as a way to exert power and control over them. This topic resonated with participants, leading to an engaged discussion.
The group leader revealed that many group members were unhappy with how their children treated them. They had made significant sacrifices to move to Australia, often bringing their life savings, selling their houses back home, and giving the proceeds to their children. Despite this, they found themselves isolated at home, relying on little or no physical, emotional or financial support from their children.
The participants were relieved to discover that help was available regardless of their visa status. One couple contacted ECCV for support and were referred to Seniors Rights Victoria (SRV).
After a meeting with SRV, the couple’s son returned the money he had taken from his parents’ account. He learned that using his parents’ money without their consent was unacceptable, constituted elder abuse, and could have serious consequences.
Where to find support
If you are experiencing elder abuse and want to know what options are available to you, call the Seniors Rights Victoria helpline on 1300 368 821.
For nationwide assistance and access to resources in 20 languages, call the Australian Human Rights Commission on 1800 353 374 or visit their website.
Read more about ECCV’s Elder Abuse Prevention Project and book an information session for your community group here.
Startling statistics behind elder abuse
The National Ageing Research Institute (NARI) recently analysed seven years of data to better understand elder abuse in Victoria.
Their research found that 4-6% of older people experience elder abuse. In 91% of cases, the abuse was perpetrated by a family member of the clients, most commonly sons (39%) or daughters (28%).
Close to 75% of advice call clients were women, mostly in their 70s and 60% of clients had one or more disabilities.
Psychological abuse (63%) and financial abuse (62%) were the most commonly reported types of abuse followed by physical abuse (16%) and social abuse (11%), with many clients experiencing more than one type of abuse.
This article was published in the
Spring 2024 edition of Golden Years.