Violence against Older Adults per the “Dial 100-Older Adult” Data

Abstract

This paper analyzes data from the “Dial 100-Older Adult”, a device for denouncing mistreatment operating under Brazilian Law N° 10.741/2003, which provides for the Statute for Older Adults (2003) and considers violence committed against people above 60. We studied information for 2018, for which there are already consolidated data. The study shows an increase per year in complaints and classifies them by category and subcategory. In the analyzed year, the most significant number refers to negligence (29,792, 79.54%) and psychological (20,770, 55.48%), financial and property (15,620, 41.70%), and physical (9,921, 26.49%) violence. The percentages shown do not correspond to the number of complainants, but the harmful conditions mentioned, showing that the same older adult is often the victim of several types of violence. The family is exposed as the biggest violator, and the home is the place with the highest risk for abuse (over 85%). The State and society are absent and silent in this situation, although they are responsible for protecting them under the Statute for Older Adults states. The contemporary family alone cannot shoulder the burden of care. A State Policy is required to support it in the face of this situation, which tends to deteriorate if nothing is done due to the rapid increase in the number of older adults in the country, which total more than 37 million today per the IBGE data.