India’s older women are facing the brunt of exclusion and are increasingly becoming victims of abuse, a survey ahead of the UN-recognised World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15) has revealed.
The survey by a professional research agency was released on June 14 in ‘Women & Ageing: Invisible or Empowered?’, a first-of-its-kind report brought out by HelpAge India focussing on the problems faced by older women who are “often the lost and the last in line”.
“The report covered rural and urban India across 20 States, two Union Territories and five metro cities, with a sample size of 7,911. It highlights the unpreparedness and dependency of older women starkly, with high illiteracy levels, low financial security, lack of awareness on redressal mechanisms and beneficiary schemes, and lack of employment opportunities and medical cover,” Anupama Datta, HelpAge India’s policy and research head said. “All these factors leave them vulnerable to abuse,” the report said.
About 16% of the older women surveyed reported abuse with 50% reporting physical violence, which came out as the top form of abuse for the first time, followed by disrespect (46%) and emotional or psychological abuse (31%).
“The main perpetrators of abuse were the sons (40%), followed by other relatives (31%) – a “troubling” find indicating that the abuse extends beyond the immediate family circle. Daughters-in-law (27%) took the third spot as abusers,” the report said.
Fear of more abuse
“Most of the older women surveyed did not report abuse. While 18% feared retaliation or further abuse, 16% were not aware of the available resources and 13% thought their concerns would not be taken seriously,” the report said.
“About 56% older women lacked awareness on redressal mechanisms available for abuse with only 15% being aware of the Maintenance & Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Act,” the report said, adding 78% of the older women were not aware of any government welfare schemes.
“Social status only further added to their woes with 18% of older women saying they faced discrimination due to their gender and 64% facing social discrimination as widows,” the report said.
“On the economic front, 53% of the older women did not feel financially secure. Of the 47% who claimed to have felt secure, 79% were dependent on their children for finances,” the report said.
It also pointed out that 66% of the older women in India do not own any assets while 75% do not have any savings.
“Where digital inclusion is concerned, older women are far behind with 60% never having used digital devices and 59% not owning smartphones. Some 13% of the older women said they would like to enrol for some skill development programme online,” the report said.
About 48% of the older women were found to have at least one chronic condition but 64% of them did not have any health insurance. Age did not come in the way of 67% of the older women undertaking caregiving roles in their families.
“Females are at social, economic, and educational disadvantage from an early age. This impacts their lives in old age in unimaginable ways. They seldom make choices about their lives and despite all the good intent they remain secondary in almost all aspects of life,” Nilondra Tanya, HelpAge India’s director for the northeast said.
A significant number of older women with jobs did not find their home and workplace environments friendly. “While 47% said their environment at home was hostile, 36% said their homes were similar to their workplaces in terms of friendliness,” the report said.
The report also underlined the fears of 43% of the older women of getting harmed physically with 76% saying it is due to the fear of falling while 46% attributed their fears to poor eyesight.
