Figures from the Crime Statistics Agency show the number of elder abuse victims aged over 65 has increased by more than 40 per cent in the past five years.
In the year to March, there were 5739 reports.
Two thirds of victims were women and a third were men.
Police said elder abuse was any act that caused harm to an older person and was often carried out by someone they knew and trusted, such as family, friends or carers.
Elder abuse also takes many forms and usually doesn’t occur in isolation.
Examples include financial, physical, emotional, psychological or social abuse, or neglect.
Financial abuse is when someone uses someone else’s money, property or other assets illegally or improperly or forces someone to change their will or sign documents.
Police are seeing cost-of-living pressures contribute to increased reports of financial abuse.
Physical abuse includes assaulting or causing personal injury to an older person, or threatening to do so.
Emotional or psychological abuse is categorised as behaviour by one person towards another that torments, intimidates, harasses or is offensive to the other person.
It may include threats to pets or withholding access to loved ones such as grandchildren.
Social abuse is when someone stops the older person from participating in usual forms of enjoyment.
Neglect is failing to provide the basic necessities of life, either intentionally or unintentionally.
Police said victims of elder abuse were typically reluctant to report this type of crime because they did not want to get their family member into trouble or because they depended on the perpetrator for care or company.
Victoria Police is calling on senior Victorians to report any abuse they might receive from family members, carers or friends and call if they need help.
If you or anyone you know is experiencing elder abuse, call 000.
Victorians can also contact Seniors’ Rights Victoria on the organisation’s free confidential helpline, 1300 368 821, or visit seniorsrights.org.au
Victoria Police Family Violence Command Assistant Commissioner Lauren Callaway said some abuse involved psychological manipulation and intimidation — the threat that if you don’t do this or that, we will put you in an aged care home.
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