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Seniors’ sector workers believe numbers are closer to one in four as many cases go unreported. There are also 50 sexual assaults reported every week in Australia for people over 65.
Advocare outreach advocate Christine Zambonetti presented these and other statistics at the recent ‘Wise Up-Rise Up against elder abuse’ presentation held at the Denmark Community Resource Centre.
Christine said elder abuse was not just physical violence or sexual abuse but included coercive control, psychological abuse, neglect, financial abuse and socially isolating someone.
She said that many people were too embarrassed to report abuse or were afraid of losing family support, as the perpetrators were often family members.
There was also a much higher incidence of abuse if someone had dementia or if they were living in a residential care facility.