Fighting elder abuse in Nunavut will take effort, experts argue

Fighting elder abuse needs the same level of government commitment as suicide prevention and far more attention from everyone in Nunavut, says Arviat'sAngie Curley.

"This problem, elder abuse, is kept private,"said Curley. "It's not known by everyone. It's a family problem."

Curley says there isan elder in her community who has been dealing with abuse regularly for years. But so far, no one has been able to make it stop.

"It's frustrating,"said Curley."From my experience, elders don't speak publicly about what they went through. They don't like to have what they went through, the abuse, to be public."

Several years ago, Curley says she contacted the elders support hotline, which provides services for unilingual Inuktitut-speakers, but says no one ever followed up.

"There has to be a better system in place to protect the elders."

Curley says the government can make changes happen fast as it did with the equally important issue of suicide prevention.

Not all abuse is reported

Sgt. Yvonne Niego says investigating cases of abuse can be challenging.

Often, elders who are emotionally or physically abused are hesitant to seek help, because the perpetrators are family members.

In 2014, Niego says the oldest victim reported to policewas an 87-year-old,who was assaulted.

"But along with that there was alcoholinvolved and an extended family member was perpetrating."

Niego says the victim isn't the person to report the abuse, which can create an added challenge for police.

"It makes it very difficult for police to proceedif the actual victim is not able to provide all of the necessary information," said Niego.

"A lot of elders will sort of generalize some complaints and not give details, so it's not enough to start an investigation."

Over the last five years, RCMP in Nunavut have investigated about 150 complaints every year, involving victims who are 60 years old or older.

This year, Niego says Nunavut is on track to exceed that average.

"And that's only what's reported to police."

"A lot of detachments tell us that they get elders inquiring," said Niego, "but they don't follow up."

Victims have options

Joanne Henderson-White, the Government of Nunavut'sdirector of family services, says it's best when victims contact a social worker or the RCMP.

"Once we are aware of a situation, we work to deal with that situation," she said.

Not every instance of abuse results in an investigation or charges.

Nunavut'sCommunity Justice program providestwo options:community protection orders or emergency protection orders.

"The community intervention orders allow for families to stay together," said Niego."Butthe person affected by the abuse and the person involved in the abuse, both have to be willing to come together."

In that instance, an outreach worker connects the family with community supports.

Emergency protection orders are used in situations where there is more immediate danger and someone needs to be removed from the elder's home.

A voice for the voiceless

Alicee Joamie, herself an elder in the Nunavut community of Apex, says elders seem to be more intimidated than they were before the time of settlements.

"You can see it in their faces," said Joamie in Inuktitut.

"We're more worried about how we might be treated."

Joamie says it's important for elders to feel they are in control of themselves and their money, but also for them to feel the support of their community.

"Ask them if they need anything, if they need help,"she said. "These things lift their spirits."

It takes 'everyone'

Experts and concerned residents agree it'sa problem that requires support from all aspects of the community.

"The family, the children, the elder's children:the whole community should come up with solutions along with RCMP, social services and community justice workers."

Niegosays having programs for elders could make a big difference, but coming up with funding proposals and organizing volunteers can be daunting.

She says even smallefforts can make a difference.

"It's important that we don't marginalizeelders by separating them from the community," said Niego.

If you don't live with your elderly relatives, youshould visit them, says Niego.If there is an elders' home in your community, check in on those elders too.

"We should not do nothing when we hear about elder abuse," Joamie said."We need to take action."