It is noted today, day 15 June, O "World Day of Awareness of Violence Against Elderly ", whose date was established in 2006 the United Nations and the International Violence Prevention Network to the Elderly, with the objective of reflecting on and combating violence against the elderly.
Rogério COPETO
Colonel of the GNR
Master in Law and Security and Homeland Security Auditor
Segundo o “Censos 2021”, Portugal apresenta um quadro de envelhecimento demográfico bastante acentuado, in that, a população com mais de 65 anos representa 23,5% (it is expected that in the thirties represent 25%) da população residente no país, existindo em 2021 next to 181 idosos por cada 100 jovens até aos 14 year old.
The aging population and the vulnerabilities associated with this age group must have consequences in the sense of (in)security. And the main risk factors of the elderly relate to social isolation, the attacker depend on the victim (nomeadamente quando os agressores são os filhos), the history of violence between spouses, cohabitation, factors that cause stress or economic tensions, substance abuse or mental illness caregiver, the precarious state of health and functional impairment and cognitive impairment.
Apesar da população idosa representar em 2021 quase um quarto da população, less than 10% was a victim of crime, thus verifying the existence of a low criminal incidence among the elderly population, concluding that elderly people do not report the crimes of which they are victims, in particular crimes of abuse, fraud, teasing, "Tales of the vicar" and financial exploitation.
For not denouncing the crimes of abuse are seen as justification the fact that the elderly be victims in their own home, na ou family home caregiver, the institutions responsible for providing them care (homes, hospitals, etc.) and, for various other reasons. The elderly victims of abuse do not report these situations nor its authors, fearing to be alone, stay with no one to take care of them, lose caregiver, losing privacy and family relations, be reprimanded hair abuser, be posted publicly and subjected to external intervention, be placed in an institution, be discredited without anyone believe in violence or abuse they suffer and feel responsible for abusive behavior.
Also the fraud committed against the elderly, They are unreported, because the victims believe that the help of the authorities, social protection services, family members, or other, They will not be mobilized to stop the abuse.
The scams and "tales of vicar" are unreported because the victims feel ashamed, or because they fear what others will think they are no longer able to care for themselves, and therefore may come to be institutionalized. The lack of information on the existence of aid resources or limited as they have access, is a factor that leads victims to not report the crimes that are victims.
In the case of financial exploitation, victims often have emotional connections proximity to the aggressors and this inhibits the elderly to report that a victim of crime, but may, want to end the exploitation to which it is exposed and recover their property, but do not want the offender to be punished, by adding that many victims believe that, partly, the guilt of finding that situation, also, is yours and blaming yourself for that reason.
Para prevenir e combater a violência contra a pessoa idosa e considerando a especial vulnerabilidade desta população à criminalidade, the Security Forces (FS) desenvolvem, from 1996, o programa denominado por “Apoio 65 – Elderly Safety ", a proximity policing program focused on the safety of this population, based on a philosophy of preventive policing and awareness aimed at the elderly and the community where integrate.
The objectives of this program are achieved based on the knowledge of the reality of older people and a personalized support, guaranteeing them security and sensitizing them to adopt behaviors to prevent or reduce any criminal practices that they can focus on.
Aiming to reduce isolation and increase the feeling of security of the elderly population, as FS realizam diversas ações no âmbito da sua missão de policiamento de proximidade, ranging from the survey of isolated areas inhabited by elderly and respective signs of danger, como é exemplo a Operação “Censos Sénior” desenvolvida pela GNR e que a TVI, on 6 June, deu eco na reportagem denominada “Os grandes amigos que têm somos nós", sendo a mesma realizada desde 2011, procedendo ao registo de todos os idosos, having 2022 sido registados mais de 44.500 idosos a viverem sozinhos e/ou isolados, mantendo a GNR contactos frequentes com os mesmos, signaling to institutions that support elderly people, those who are in situations of greater vulnerability, de acordo com a avaliação do risco realizada, tendo sido já sido centenas de idosos sinalizados e alguns foram literalmente salvos de uma tragédia iminente.
So, é responsabilidade de todos a denuncia dos crimes cometidos contra os idosos, porque sempre que as FS não têm conhecimento de um crime não podem intervir e ao não intervir, It becomes more difficult to prevent or investigate, for lack of information on victims, the modus operandi and aggressors, contribuindo ainda para criar nos agressores um sentimento de impunidade, that will inevitably lead to relapse into crime.
