One of the most
compelling myths circulating today is that older Australians
are most likely to become victims of crime1.
In fact, the opposite is true, with personal violence offences
least likely to be committed against men and women aged 55
years and over2.
Unfortunately this unrealistic perception of crime, often
reinforced by the media, results in many seniors significantly
restricting their activities and lifestyle choices for fear
of victimisation. Seniors can enjoy their freedom of movement
and lifestyle by putting their fear of crime into perspective
and by being aware of the real risks to their safety and
practical strategies to address them.
One such risk is elder abuse. In Australia, it is estimated
that 1 in 20 people over the age of 65 experiences some form
of mistreatment by someone they trust3. Seniors are often
bullied, intimidated, ignored, neglected and abused physically,
emotionally, sexually and financially, often by family members
and others they trust3.
Older Australians are also more likely to experience consumer
fraud than other types of crime4. They are particularly vulnerable
to door-to-door selling, being sold items over the telephone
and mail order purchases4.
Personal Safety Australia Senior’s Safety
Services aim to:
- Inform seniors (men and women
aged 60 years and over) of the actual risks to their safety
- Provide a range of practical strategies
to reduce these risks and maximise their safety
in all situations
- Enable seniors to identify and
effectively respond to potential threats to their safety
- Reduce
the risk of victimisation
- Increase self-confidence and
commitment to safety
- Develop problem-solving and assertiveness
skills
- Encourage the development of
a Personal Safety Plan
- Enhance seniors’ wellbeing
and quality of life
- Encourage seniors to reach their
potential.
| References: |
| 1 Australian Institute of Criminology 2007, Crime
and Criminal Justice Statistics: Frequently Asked Questions (online).
Available http://www.aic.gov.au/stats/faqs/older_people.html
[Accessed 31 December 2007]. |
| 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006, Personal
Safety Survey, Canberra (p.6). |
| 3 McCarthy, P., Rylance, J., Bennet, R. & Zimmermann,
H. 2001, Bullying: From Backyard to Boardroom,
2nd Edn, The Federation Press, Sydney (p.131). |
| 4 Australian Institute of Criminology 2007, Older
People and Crime: The risk of criminal victimisation
for older people (online). Available: http://www.aic.gov.au/research/olderaust/victimisation.html
[Accessed 14 January 2008]. |
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