Hyderabad: Over 40 per cent of elders are abused by sons with the capital city of Madhya Pradesh-Bhopal, having the dubious distinction of accounting for the highest percentage and the Andhra Pradesh’s capital Hyderabad at fifth place, in the country, a survey has revealed.
According to the survey conducted by Helpage India, 42.86 per cent of elders in Hyderabad face abuse from their children on a daily basis, particularly sons.
The survey found that 56 per cent of the elders also point an accusing finger at their sons and 23 per cent blame their daughters-in-law.
The survey in which 5,600 senior citizens were interviewed, spanned across 20 cities in India.
Out of the people interviewed, 31 per cent said they faced abuse every day at home, the survey said.
In Bhopal city, the abuse rate is 77.12 per cent followed by Guwahati 60.55 per cent and Lucknow 52 per cent.
However, only 1.67 per cent of elders in Rajasthan stated that they have been abused.
Helpage India came up with the statistics on the eve of World Elders Abuse Awareness Day.
The survey also revealed 75 per cent of those who are abused live with their families and 69 per cent, if them own the house they reside in.
Disrespect, according to senior citizens, is the main form of abuse followed by neglect and verbal abuse. More than 50 per cent of the abused said they had been facing the situation for more than five years.
Generation gap is the main reason for such a situation, the senior citizens say.
The most effective way to curb this kind of abuse, acording to elders, is to implement nation-wide programmes in schools to sensitise children to respect their elders when they grow up also. (UNI)