Seniors are one of the most vulnerable demographics when it comes to physical, psychological, financial or sexual abuse, and the Vancouver Police want to make sure they can get the help they need should they find themselves in any of those situations.
To coincide with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Vancouver Police launched their new S.A.F.E. program, which stands for Safety Awareness For Elders, this morning.
The goal of the program is to educate seniors, family members, and care providers about recognizing the signs of elder abuse and how to seek help.
Police say elder abuse can be hidden within a family for decades.
In December of 2015, an 85-year-old woman went down to her basement to determine where a chemical smell was coming from. When she questioned her 56-year-old son about the smell, he threatened to kill her, punching her in the face, grabbing her by her housecoat and throwing her to the ground, then kicking her in the ankle and knee. The woman was left on the basement floor and had to crawl upstairs into her bed.
Police were called by a family member the next day.
The son was arrested and charged with assault causing bodily harm and uttering threats.
The investigation revealed there were incidents of verbal and physical abuse dating back more than 20 years.
In a separate case that happened this March, a 78-year-old mother was physically threatened by her 44-year-old son, who was demanding money for drugs and alcohol.
He threatened to choke and beat his mother. She managed to lock herself in a safe room and call police, and her son was arrested a short time later.
The man is currently facing a charge of uttering threats.
READ MORE: Caregiver allegedly stealing almost $270K from victim is ‘form of elder abuse’: RCMP
“These are the stories that really tug at your heartstrings,” said Sgt. Jana McGuinness with Vancouver Police. “These are poignant examples of the violence that’s occurring. Sometimes we don’t even hear about it, which is why we are talking about today.”
McGuinness says the officers with the new S.A.F.E. program will look into things like referrals about someone at risk, and seniors getting taken advantage of or being pressured for money. They can also conduct a full criminal investigation into violent or sexual assault.
Every year, VPD responds to 400 crimes involving seniors in the city. The Elder Abuse Unit took on 106 of those investigations last year. So far in 2016, the investigators are already looking into 70 files that may involve elder abuse.
“These crimes are appearing to be trending upward,” says McGuinness. “We think we are seeing an increase because reporting may be going up. We don’t know exactly, but it’s disturbing because the reality is that – if you have even one of these terrible crimes, it is one too many. And we are seeing 70 already this year.”
Comments