"Elder Abuse"- A bad dream for every senior citizen in India

"Elder Abuse"- A bad dream for every senior citizen in India

You have been told about the term "Elder Abuse" but have you ever thought about what does it  exactly mean. Actually meaning of abused is not only physically hurt by someone, but if  a person emotionally, physically, socially, get hurt by someone then it is called that person is abused by some one. Any kind of mistreatment with will be called abuse. The ratio of elder abuse is increasing day by day not only in our India but all over the world.  

• About 7% of the total population of India above age 60.
• About 46% of the elderly are financially dependent on others, with highest being reported in Chennai 63% and Kolkata 61%. 
• About 57% of the elderly are financially dependent on their son and around one fourth are dependent on their spouse. 
• About 44% of the elderly consider negligence as elder abuse.
• More than one third each of the elderly feel that elder abuse constitutes emotional abuse 39%, verbal abuse 37%, economic abuse 35%, showing disrespect 34% and physical abuse 34%.

(Help Age India; Report on Elder Abuse in India) 

All the data given above shows that the ratio of elder abuse is increasing day by day. Every day we see many new cases about elder abuse in our society. Some times you know about it but we do nothing for it. It means that somewhere you are also responsible for this increase in the cases of elder abuse or  crime. The cases related to elder abuse hardly get highlighted in society in India,because many old people doesn't want to disclose their problem in the society to save their social prestige. Only that cases got highlighted that became worse or that went worse or were unable to hide.

A survey has been conducted in 24 cities across 20 states involving 20% elderly respondents said they had personal experience of abuse, down from 30% in 2012. The son was often the main perpetrator of abuse (34%), followed by daughter-in-law 24 %, the 2013 report said. Last year, the son was the main perpetrator (for 60 % people) followed by the daughter-in-law 24%.

Case relate to elder abuse in India

There is some case related to elder abuse in India to show you the actual severity of the situation:

• Geeta Kapoor

A very well known actress Geeta Kapoor who have played lead role in famous movie Pakeezah. She was admitted in the S.R.V. Hospital in Goregaon, Mumbai on 21 April. but  She had been left in hospital alone while treatment by her relatives. They didn't even paid the treatment fee of the hospital. 

Her daughter Pooja is an Air hostess. Currently she is suffering with depression. 

• Asha Sahni

A 63-year-old lady,was Rituraj Sahni's mother, found dead in her apartment in Mumbai. Her son, Rituraj was in USA, he had not contact her for 1 year. She was living alone there without any support. When Rituraj came back Mumbai to meet her, he found her dead in her apartment. Actually she was died few months ago, there only her skeleton in her room. According the postmortem report she was died due to hunger, she had not eaten food since many days. Here you can say that she had not been abused but in reality there was a need of proper support and care that she could not get from her son. She was  indirectly abused by her son.

• Maan Devi

A 62 year old lady, Maan Devi was  beaten to death in a village in Uttar Pradesh's Agra, early on Wednesday morning by villagers who accused her of being a witch, the police said. The villagers, they said, alleged that the woman was about to cut the hair of a young girl sleeping outside her home.

• Suman Gupta 

A old, Suman Gupta who live at Sarnath in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, was hurt by her son who was suffering with some mental illness after having divorce. He attacked on his mother with knife to hurt her. She lost her eye sight, and she was mostly near death. 

• Sapana Bhattachrya

A 70 years old lady named Sapana Bhattacharya was beaten by her son. After her husband's death she used live with her son. Her husband was working in income tax department, who died before his retirement. Her son wanted to join his father's post in income tax department but he could get it. Now he was willing to get his father's fund so that he used quarrel with her.Yesterday he asked her to bring something from market but she denied to go to the market. Because of this he became angry and beat her and attempt to kill her. She could save her from him any reached to the police station and complained about it. (Amar Ujala 11Nov 2017)

• Sabita Nath

A 98 years old lady named Sabita Nath from Anandpur in Kolkata , was locked for several days at home by her son Bikash. He locked her at home and went on a vacation in other state. Her daughter used come to meet her in every two or three weeks. Once Her daughter came to meet her at her, she found her mother locked at home. Her daughter was shocked on his brother's cruel behavior with her mother. (30 Oct 2017)

• Swarna Kapoor

A 62 years old lady was murdered by her daughter in law by a wooden stool in Delhi. She has not good relationship with her daughter in law, Kanchan Kapoor. Kanchan used  to querrel with her every day, She was very upset with the behavior of her daughter in law. Kanchan wanted to remove her from her family so she planned to kill her and she became successful in her plan. But now Kanchan is arrested police and passing her life in Jail.

These cases related to elder abuse in India shows the severity of this problems. Now there is a question can be held that who is responsible for this problem in India. In my opinion somewhere we are responsible for this increase in the number of cases related to elder abuse in India. If we stand for this problem and take action against them, who are involve in such activities. And every elderly people also must be aware about this problem, They should not try to hide this kind of antisocial behavior of their family member before the situation become sever for them.Though, government has created rule and law for it, but It will be helpful when we and elderly people will stand for this.