Abstract
The Australian Bureau of Statistics have reported that Australia’s population is ageing at
 an incremental rate, and a recent National Prevalence Study into elder abuse found that a
 significant proportion of those older Australians are experiencing abuse. While it is
 important to recognise that older people are not inherently vulnerable, it is equally
 important to acknowledge the fact that many instances of abuse are falling through the
 cracks. Older people with distinct vulnerabilities, are at particular risk, and it is the right
 of every older Australian to age with dignity, respect, and to be afforded adequate protection
 from abuse. Despite the existence of criminal laws applicable to abuses including physical,
 social, psychological, and financial, very few matters relating to abuse of older people are
 prosecuted.
 This paper provides an overview of the legal framework in which abuse of older adults
 currently operates in Australia. It proposes that discrete criminal offences should be
 introduced to protect older adults who are reliant on others for their care, and who have a
 distinct vulnerability.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
