Submission to the Inquiry into capturing data on family violence perpetrators in Victoria

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Executive summary

This submission highlights the need for improved data collection on elder abuse perpetrators to better address the unique needs of elder abuse within the broader family violence system in Victoria.

Elder abuse perpetrators often differ from general family violence perpetrators, with adult children and other family members being the primary abusers, whereas intimate partners make up the majority of general family violence cases. The most complete study on elder abuse  prevalence in Australia, published in 2021, revealed that 14.8% of Australians aged 65 and over had experienced some form of elder abuse in the preceding year. In Victoria alone, this suggests 160,000 older individuals experience elder abuse each year, underscoring the need for  effective data collection for intervention.

SRV plays a vital role in collecting data on elder abuse through its state-wide helpline, as well as legal and advocacy services. However, there is a lack of comprehensive state-wide or national data on incidences of elder abuse or elder abuse perpetrators in comparison to other aspects of  family violence.

Ensuring a comprehensive collection of elder abuse perpetrator data faces significant challenges, including underreporting by victims, and limited capacity of the elder abuse sector to service and record cases. These issues are compounded by inadequate suitability of general family  violence organisations to handle elder abuse cases, as well as a lack of training among professionals working with older people.

Victoria offers various programs aimed at family violence perpetrator intervention that  could benefit significantly from the proper collection of elder abuse perpetrator data. However, these frameworks largely focus on domestic and gendered family violence, virtually failing to service  elder abuse perpetrators entirely. Responses to elder abuse require tailored approaches, recognising its unique aspects such as the more balanced gender distribution of perpetrators and the varying profile of perpetrators.

To improve elder abuse perpetrator data collection, several  recommendations are proposed:

1. Raise awareness among older people about elder abuse and available support services.
2. Identify and address gaps in data collection among organisations outside family violence.
3. Enhance training for professionals on recognising, addressing, and documenting elder abuse.
4. Increase funding to elder abuse programs to expand service capacity and data collection.
5. Maintain separate statistics for elder abuse, avoiding aggregation with general family violence.
6. Revise perpetrator intervention frameworks to address elder abuse effectively.

These steps are vital for creating a comprehensive understanding and robust policy framework that addresses the distinct needs and profiles of elder abuse  perpetrators, ultimately fostering a safer environment for older Victorians.