Member's statement: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
Member's statement by Ms Claire Sugden on .
- MLA
- Ms Claire Sugden
- Party at the time
- Independent
- Date
- 16 June 2025
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5010143
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Mr Speaker, first, I must apologise for not being in my place during Question Time last week. Yesterday, 15 June, marked World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. That is a day on which we are asked not just to recognise elder abuse but to act on it. It is not a hidden issue. It is happening in our homes and communities and, far too often, is carried out by someone whom the older person trusts. Most of the time, that is family. It is a form of domestic abuse. It can take many shapes and is not just physical and emotional but financial. In Northern Ireland, more than 100,000 older people have experienced abuse. Last year alone, over 2,500 domestic or sexual abuse crimes against people aged 55 or over were recorded. That is one in 10 of all such crimes. Financial abuse is especially common. Around one in five over-60s have experienced it. They might have had their savings stolen, been coerced into legal challenges or made to feel powerless over their own money. The impact is profound, causing anxiety, loneliness, withdrawal and a complete loss of confidence. In rural areas in particular, older people may rely on a very small network. When the abuse is also happening within that network, there is often nowhere to turn. Many suffer in silence, because the alternative, which means being isolated, feels worse. That is why community response is so vital. Local groups, luncheon clubs and charities often spot the signs first. They play a unique role in recognising and responding to abuse in ways that only communities can, but statutory services must also back that up with proper support in health, housing, justice and social care. I acknowledge the work of organisations such as Hourglass, which was formerly Action on Elder Abuse, Age NI and the Commissioner for Older People. They have consistently raised the issue. It is time for government to listen and take action. We also need to stop treating older victims as somehow different. Abuse is abuse, yet it is often categorised separately as elder abuse, rather than domestic abuse. That affects how cases are handled and victims supported. The Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Act (Northern Ireland) 2021 rightly includes financial abuse, but we need to ensure that the Act is being used effectively and that the justice system supports victims from the first report to the final outcome. When are we going to see the adult safeguarding Bill? When will it be published? When will we see the consultation? We need progress before the end of the mandate, because victims cannot afford to wait. Older people are our parents, grandparents and neighbours. They built the communities in which we now live. They deserve dignity, respect and protection. With an ageing population, we cannot ignore the issue. Every policy and public service must start by factoring in what it means to grow older in Northern Ireland, because the problem will only grow unless we act now.
498 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.03 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.94).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.03 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.94 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.03 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 1.00 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:50 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
Disagree with this assessment?
Classifications can be challenged. A person reads every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.