World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

The key objective of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is to raise awareness of elder abuse (which encompasses neglect and mal- or mistreatment) throughout the world.

The International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) was founded in 1997 and is dedicated to global dissemination of information as part of its commitment to world-wide prevention of abuse and neglect of older adults.

As part of INPEA's research agenda, they launched a World Elder Abuse Awareness Day to be held, for the first time, on June 15, 2006. This project will be in partnership and collaboration with interested individuals, agencies, organizations, NGO's, governments and corporations

«Abuse is a violation of an individual's human and civil rights by any other person or persons. Abuse may consist of a single act or repeated acts. It may be physical, verbal or psychological, it may be an act of neglect or an omission to act, or it may occur when a vulnerable person is persuaded to enter into a financial or sexual transaction to which he or she has not consented, or cannot consent. Abuse can occur in any relationship and may result in significant harm to, or exploitation of, the person subjected to it» Source: No Secrets, Departmentof Health 2000.

June 15, 2007 is the second Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and this (special) day is marked as a great opportunity to raise awareness of abuse of older adults.