Reports of abuse against elderly people over the past five years have grown by 52 percent, with the majority of incidents occurring over the Lunar New Year holiday, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday.
Department of Protective Services Director-General Chang Hsiu-yuan (張秀鴛) said that most incidents of elderly abuse are due to issues of care or reliance on the finances of elderly people.
Financial problems are especially prevalent over the Lunar New Year holiday, as people working part-time jobs or who are reliant on elderly people would need additional funds due to increased expenses during the holiday, Chang said.
Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Taipei Times
As Taiwan is moving toward becoming a “hyper-aged” society, the government is seeing a rise in the number of reports of elderly people being abused, she added.
About 40 percent of calls to the 113 hotline were related to domestic abuse, she said.
The all-hours hotline is for people to report incidents or ask questions about domestic violence, sexual assault or harassment, as well as abuse or neglect of children, adolescents, elderly and disabled people.
Many elderly people are unwilling to ask for help, believing that telling others about abuse would bring shame upon their family, she said.
It is most often a neighbor, other family members or the police who report elderly abuse, Chang said.
The Lunar New Year period is when families get together, often after many months, and issues should be discussed with respect and understanding by all members, she said.
If there is a point of contention, people should walk away and cool down before discussing it further, she added.
The 113 hotline would be staffed around the clock throughout the Lunar New Year holiday, Chang said.
In addition to the telephone service, people can also text or use the hotline’s online services, she said.
Additional reporting by CNA
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