India’s older women face the brunt of exclusion: HelpAge India survey

India’s older women are facing the brunt of exclusion and are increasingly becoming victims of abuse, a survey, by HelpAge India, ahead of the UN-recognised World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15) has revealed.

GUWAHATI

India’s older women are facing the brunt of exclusion and are increasingly becoming victims of abuse, a survey ahead of the UN-recognised World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15) has revealed.

The survey by a professional research agency was released on June 14 in ‘Women & Ageing: Invisible or Empowered?’, a first-of-its-kind report brought out by HelpAge India focussing on the problems faced by older women who are “often the lost and the last in line”.

“The report covered rural and urban India across 20 States, two Union Territories and five metro cities, with a sample size of 7,911. It highlights the unpreparedness and dependency of older women starkly, with high illiteracy levels, low financial security, lack of awareness on redressal mechanisms and beneficiary schemes, and lack of employment opportunities and medical cover,” Anupama Datta, HelpAge India’s policy and research head said. “All these factors leave them vulnerable to abuse,” the report said.

About 16% of the older women surveyed reported abuse with 50% reporting physical violence, which came out as the top form of abuse for the first time, followed by disrespect (46%) and emotional or psychological abuse (31%).

“The main perpetrators of abuse were the sons (40%), followed by other relatives (31%) – a “troubling” find indicating that the abuse extends beyond the immediate family circle. Daughters-in-law (27%) took the third spot as abusers,” the report said.

“Most of the older women surveyed did not report abuse. While 18% feared retaliation or further abuse, 16% were not aware of the available resources and 13% thought their concerns would not be taken seriously,” the report said.