World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Día Mundial de Toma de Conciencia de Abuso y Maltrato en la Vejez,
Всемирный день распространения информации о злоупотреблениях в отношении пожилых людей, 认识虐待老年人问题世界日, Journée mondiale de sensibilisation à la maltraitance des personnes âgées, اليوم العالمي للتوعية إساءة معاملة المسنين
United Nations Secretary-General's Message for the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2014.
Ban Ki-moon
Neglect, Abuse, and violence Against Older Women
Women can be victims of violence across their lifespan, yet neither the women’s domestic violence movement nor the ageing empowerment movement has mobilized to end violence against older women. Elder abuse has been the object of many studies, whereas the abuse of older women has had only modest attention in the gender-based literature (Jönson & Åkerström, 2004). Older women have lacked status as battered women in domestic violence research and activism. Older women were of ten excluded in studies of violence against women and often completely absent, as though older women did not belong to the category of women. Older women were often absent from discussions about shelters and hotlines, and there has lacked debate on the circumstances and special needs of older women victims of abuse that might affect help-seeking behaviour. In general, gender analysis of violence against women and girls has focused on male dominance and subordination of women, whereas subordination seems especially relevant for older women (Jönson & Åkerström, 2004). There is growing awareness of older women victims of family mistreatment, both in terms of prevalence and in terms of commonalities and differences when compared to younger battered women. Both quantitative and qualitative research studies have begun to identify salient factors in cultural differences, age-related needs, and service needs and gaps for older women victims.
Clearly, definitional and measurement issues need to be addressed to obtain a clearer understanding of the prevalence of neglect, abuse and violence against older women. In addition, unifying themes that connect older women in developing and developed countries, and in traditional and modern societies, could be identified, as well as unifying themes that connect girls and women of all ages.
In addition, there needs to be more data on evidence-based practices for the prevention of, and intervention in, situations of neglect, abuse and violence against older women, and how they can be strengthened. Finally, a review of all laws related to neglect, abuse and violence against older women needs to be undertaken, including an analysis of their implementation and their impact on the reduction and elimination of abuse against older women.
Gender-based scholarship has begun to examine the a pplication of frameworks for working effectively with older women victims of abuse. Gerontologists are focusing more research attention on older women and abuse, and human rights experts are recognizing the special vulnerabilities of older women who are care-dependent and may lack the ability to protect themselves from undue harm without the special protection that goes beyond that needed by women of all ages who are not care-dependent. Population ageing is a global trend that is changing economies and societies around the world. The feminization of ageing, representing the intersection of age and gender, has important implications for policy as the world continues to age. It is time for neglect, abuse and violence against older women to be made visible, and made to end.
Join the Forum, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, June 15.
Read U.N. General Assembly Resolution A/RES/66/127 proclaming the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
Всемирный день распространения информации о злоупотреблениях в отношении пожилых людей, 认识虐待老年人问题世界日, Journée mondiale de sensibilisation à la maltraitance des personnes âgées, اليوم العالمي للتوعية إساءة معاملة المسنين
United Nations Secretary-General's Message for the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2014.
Elderly people in all societies can be vulnerable to physical, psychological and financial abuse. Older women are at particular risk due to widespread discriminatory attitudes and practices.
On this World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, I call on Member States to enact and enforce stronger laws and strategies to address all aspects of this under-acknowledged social, public health and human rights issue.
All human beings are born with equal and inalienable rights, and have the right to age with dignity, respected by their families and communities, free of neglect, abuse and violence.
Ban Ki-moon
Neglect, Abuse, and violence Against Older Women
Women can be victims of violence across their lifespan, yet neither the women’s domestic violence movement nor the ageing empowerment movement has mobilized to end violence against older women. Elder abuse has been the object of many studies, whereas the abuse of older women has had only modest attention in the gender-based literature (Jönson & Åkerström, 2004). Older women have lacked status as battered women in domestic violence research and activism. Older women were of ten excluded in studies of violence against women and often completely absent, as though older women did not belong to the category of women. Older women were often absent from discussions about shelters and hotlines, and there has lacked debate on the circumstances and special needs of older women victims of abuse that might affect help-seeking behaviour. In general, gender analysis of violence against women and girls has focused on male dominance and subordination of women, whereas subordination seems especially relevant for older women (Jönson & Åkerström, 2004). There is growing awareness of older women victims of family mistreatment, both in terms of prevalence and in terms of commonalities and differences when compared to younger battered women. Both quantitative and qualitative research studies have begun to identify salient factors in cultural differences, age-related needs, and service needs and gaps for older women victims.
Clearly, definitional and measurement issues need to be addressed to obtain a clearer understanding of the prevalence of neglect, abuse and violence against older women. In addition, unifying themes that connect older women in developing and developed countries, and in traditional and modern societies, could be identified, as well as unifying themes that connect girls and women of all ages.
In addition, there needs to be more data on evidence-based practices for the prevention of, and intervention in, situations of neglect, abuse and violence against older women, and how they can be strengthened. Finally, a review of all laws related to neglect, abuse and violence against older women needs to be undertaken, including an analysis of their implementation and their impact on the reduction and elimination of abuse against older women.
Gender-based scholarship has begun to examine the a pplication of frameworks for working effectively with older women victims of abuse. Gerontologists are focusing more research attention on older women and abuse, and human rights experts are recognizing the special vulnerabilities of older women who are care-dependent and may lack the ability to protect themselves from undue harm without the special protection that goes beyond that needed by women of all ages who are not care-dependent. Population ageing is a global trend that is changing economies and societies around the world. The feminization of ageing, representing the intersection of age and gender, has important implications for policy as the world continues to age. It is time for neglect, abuse and violence against older women to be made visible, and made to end.
Join the Forum, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, June 15.
Read U.N. General Assembly Resolution A/RES/66/127 proclaming the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
 |
| One Day to change the rest of their Lives - World Elder Abuse Awareness Day |
No comments:
Post a Comment