Delhi tops verbal abuse of the elderly and nationwide, family members turn out to be the highest abusers of the elderly. In addition to it, over 65 per cent of Delhi’s elderly feel there has been increase in crime against them in the past three years. Verbal abuse in Delhi amounted to a full 100 per cent, including speaking in loud voice, using foul
language, calling names, accusing and blaming. Physical abuse among those abused was 33 per cent in the national capital, a report by HelpAge India, an NGO working for the rights of senior citizens, said. While the son emerged as the major abuser of the elderly last year, this year it was the daughter-in-law with 63.4 percent cases.
According to the report, in the national capital, all the elderly abused said the daughter-in-law was the abuser while 50 per cent said it was their own son.
It was observed that on a national level, elderly abuse is the highest among the 70s plus people and it is mostly elderly women who face abuse due to dependence on sons. Dependency levels were high among the elderly with their main source of income coming in the form of remittance from children which was nationally 55 per cent and in Delhi and NCR, 40 per cent. Most elderly preferred not to file a complaint against abuse as the household members were the abusers. The feeling that it would lead to further abuse is reported to be the prime reason for it.