Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and the City of Greater Geelong is partnering with local organisations to prevent elder abuse from occurring in our communities.

Elder abuse is any act which causes harm to an older person and is carried out by someone they know and trust such as a family member or friend. It may be physical social financial psychological or sexual and can include mistreatment and neglect.

A recent study by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) found that one in six older Australians had experienced a form of elder abuse in the past 12 months but only one-third of those people had sought help.

City of Greater Geelong Councillor Sarah Mansfield chair of the Community Health and Aged Care portfolio:

It is vital to raise awareness of the issue.

Elder abuse is a global issue which affects the health wellbeing independence and human rights of millions of people and sadly it is also present in our local communities.

The City is a proud member of the Barwon Elder Abuse Primary Prevention Network which is working hard at a local level to raise awareness and increase the capacity of service providers to respond to suspected elder abuse.

By increasing this capacity and developing referral pathways we are supporting people as they age to access help when they need it.

As part of the City’s involvement with the Barwon Elder Abuse Primary Prevention (BEAPP) Network a number of “age awareness” initiatives have been arranged. These include:

• The STREETFACE See Me Respect Me campaign in which large-scale posters of older people from the Geelong region have been installed at key venues around the Geelong region including the Geelong Library and the Civic Centre car park. *See the complete list of venues below.
• The Every Age Counts ‘Take the Pledge’ social media campaign in which City of Greater Geelong councillors and CEO Martin Cutter have taken the pledge against ageism.
• The See Me Respect Me morning tea at Portarlington Neighbourhood House at 10am on Wednesday 22 June. Bookings can be made via education@barwoncls.org.au or by calling 1300 430 599.
• The City is working with Cultura on elder abuse awareness videos which have been
  translated into Dari Karen Kareeni Swahili and Arabic.
• The City’s Catenary lights on the corner of Moorabool and Malop streets will be lit
  up in the colour purple from 13 June in recognition of elder abuse and those that
  have suffered.

Cr Jim Mason:

It is important for all members of the Greater Geelong community to take a stand against ageism.

Every older person has the right to live in a safe environment where they are treated with dignity and respect and are supported to make their own decisions.

Recent research shows that the more ageist a society is the more likely we are to trivialise or minimise a story of abuse from an older person and dismiss complaints.

We can all take on a role in changing social attitudes by calling out ageism when we see it and by educating people on where they can receive help.

To learn about local initiatives and for more information and resources see
geelong.link/WEAAD or visit Barwon Elder Abuse Primary Prevention (BEAPP) Network.

If you or someone you know is experiencing elder abuse please contact these free and
confidential support services:

Seniors’ Rights Victoria helpline on 1300 368 821
Barwon Orange Door on 1800 312 820
Barwon Community Legal Service on 1300 430 599
Safe Steps on 1800 015 188

STREETFACE See Me Respect Me – Full list of locations:
- Geelong Library
- Civic Centre car park
- Corio Library
- Ocean Grove Library
- Geelong West Library
- Leisure Link
- Grovedale Hub
- Highton Library
- Belmont Library