SeniorCitizensAbuseinIndia
AndWhattodoAboutit
BY
SivaPrasadBose
ISBN9789356102224©SivaPrasadBose2022PublishedinIndia2022byPencilContributors:Co-Author:JoyBoseAbrandofOnePointSixTechnologiesPvt.Ltd.123,BuildingJ2,ShramSevaPremises,WadalaTruckTerminal,Wadala(E)Mumbai400037,Maharashtra,INDIAEconnect@thepencilapp.comWwww.thepencilapp.comAllrightsreservedworldwideNopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinorintroducedintoaretrievalsystem,ortransmitted,inanyform,orbyanymeans(electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recordingorotherwise),withoutthepriorwrittenpermissionofthePublisher.Anypersonwhocommitsanunauthorizedactinrelationtothispublicationcanbeliabletocriminalprosecutionandcivilclaimsfordamages.
DISCLAIMER:TheopinionsexpressedinthisbookarethoseoftheauthorsanddonotpurporttoreflecttheviewsofthePublisher.
Authorbiography
SivaPrasadBoseisanelectricalengineerbyprofession.HeiscurrentlyretiredaftermanyyearsofserviceinUttarPradeshPowerCorporationLimited.HereceivedhisengineeringdegreefromJadavpurUniversity,KolkataandhasalawdegreefromMeerutUniversity,Meerut.Hisinterestslieinthefieldsoffamilylaw,civillaw,lawofcontracts,andanyareasoflawrelatedtopowerelectricityrelatedissues.
JoyBoseisasoftwareengineerandadatascientistbyprofession.
Contents
Whatisseniorcitizensabuse
Problemsfacedbyseniorcitizens
Reallifeexamplesofseniorcitizenabuse
Reasonsforseniorcitizenabuse
Wheretogoforhelp
SeniorCitizensProtectionAct
Seniorcitizenhelplines
NGOsworkingwithSeniorcitizens
ProblemsinAccessingHelpandStrategiestoOvercometheProblems
Somepracticaltips
Conclusion
Preface
AbuseofseniorcitizensisoftenanunspokenissueinIndia.Comparedtootherkindsofabuse,seniorcitizenabuseisuniqueinthefactthatitoftenhappenswithinthesamehouseholdinwhichtheseniorcitizensarestaying,theabusersarefamilymembersonwhomthepersonisdependentandmostoftentheabusesgounreported.
EventhoughtraditionallyIndianculturepromotesrespectforseniorcitizens,withthechanginglifestylesandmovingawayfromjointfamiliesandevennuclearfamilies,abusehasbecomeabigissue.Somepeoplemaytreattheirseniorcitizenparentsorfamilymembersasaburdenandnotlookafterthemwell,othersmaybemoreinterestedintheirpropertytowhichtheymayholdthetitle,andilltreattheminordertogetrightstotheproperty.ThisproblemmaybebecomingworsebecauseoftheCovidpandemic,sinceseniorcitizensmaybelessmobile,lessfamiliarwithappsandservicesandalsoscaredtomoveoutforfearofcatchingthedisease.
Moreover,seniorcitizensareoftenscaredpsychologicallyofcourtsandpoliceandmaybeunfamiliarwithlawsprotectingthem,incaseofabuses.Lackoffamiliaritywithtechnologyisanotherbigproblem,sincemanyoftheprotectionsdependonaccesstotheinternetandfilingonlinecomplaintsatvariouswebportalsandseniorcitizenhelplines.Becauseofallthis,seniorcitizenseveniftheyfaceabusearereluctantornotabletoreportit.
AlthoughlawsandinstitutionsdoexistinIndiatopreventabuseandproviderelieftoseniorcitizens,inpracticetheremaybelackofawarenessofsuchlaws,alsoitmaybedifficultforseniorcitizenstoaccesstheseprotectionsduetoreasonsmentioned.Hence,inthisbookwefocusonthepracticalstepsthataseniorcitizenortheirwell-wishersneedtotaketoobtainsupportandprotection.
ImportantLawBooks/ReferencesConsulted
•MaintenanceandWelfareofParentsandSeniorCitizensAct,2007(BareAct)–2020byLexisNexis
•Maintenance&WelfareofParents&SeniorCitizensAct,2007–1January2015byProfessionalBookPublishers
•TheMaintenanceandWelfareofParentsandSeniorCitizensAct,2007–1January2019bySathpalPuliani(Author,Editor)
•ElderAbuseandLegalProtectionbyDr.HarpreetKaur.CentralLawPublications
•CriminalProcedureCode1973Volume1and2byDurgaDasBasu.LexisNexis
•ReportsbyHelpAgeIndiaandAgeWellFoundation
Acknowledgements
ImportantLawBooks/ReferencesConsulted
•MaintenanceandWelfareofParentsandSeniorCitizensAct,2007(BareAct)–2020byLexisNexis
•Maintenance&WelfareofParents&SeniorCitizensAct,2007–1January2015byProfessionalBookPublishers
•TheMaintenanceandWelfareofParentsandSeniorCitizensAct,2007–1January2019bySathpalPuliani(Author,Editor)
•ElderAbuseandLegalProtectionbyDr.HarpreetKaur.CentralLawPublications
•CriminalProcedureCode1973Volume1and2byDurgaDasBasu.LexisNexis
•ReportsbyHelpAgeIndiaandAgeWellFoundation
Whatisseniorcitizensabuse
Abusecanbedefinedascruelorviolenttreatmentofanypersonthatisintendedtoharmthatperson,especiallywhencomingfromapersonwhoistrusted.Whenthepersonbeingabusedbysomeone(theabuser)isaseniorcitizen,itcanbetermedaselderlyabuseorseniorcitizenabuse.Itcanbeoneincidentofabuseormultiplerepeatedincidents.Itcanalsobelackofanaction,suchasdeliberateneglectoftheneedsofanelderlyperson.Itcantakevariousforms,andeffectsbothmaleandfemaleseniorcitizens.
TheUnitedNationsandWorldHealthOrganizationshavehighlightedelderabuse,orseniorcitizensabuse,asaglobalissuethateffectsmillionsofolderpeoplearoundtheworld.TheUNGeneralAssemblypassedresolution66/127,designatingJune15asWorldElderAbuseAwarenessDaytoraiseawarenessaboutthisproblem.
Inthischapter,welookatthevarioustypesofabusewhichseniorcitizensmightfaceinIndia.
1.1Physicalabuse
Physicalabuseincludesphysicalviolencetothebody,suchasbybeating.Itcanalsoincludeotherformsofharmsuchasdeprivingsomeoneoffoodorshelter,especiallyifthatpersonwasorisdependentontheabuser.Itcantakeformssuchasevictingaseniorcitizenoutofthehousewheretheywereresidingtogetherwiththeabuser,neglectbynotgivingmedicinesorfeedingthembadorstalefoodornotgivingthemregularmealsaltogether.
Seniorcitizensmaybephysicallyweakduetooldageandmaybehelplesstofightbackatsuchabuse,especiallyfromclosefamilymemberswithwhomtheyarelivingandonwhomtheyaredependentforbasicnecessities.
1.2Mental,emotionalorpsychologicalabuse
Mentalabuseincludesvariousformsofmentalorpsychologicalharmtotheabusedpersonbytheabuser,ratherthanphysicalviolence.Thiscantakeformssuchasgivingthreats,humiliation,insults,verballyabusingtheseniorcitizen,deliberatelynotlisteningtotheirconcerns,deliberatelydoingactionstomaketheirdailylifedifficultinvariouscruelwayssuchasdepriving