SOME 10% OF Irish adults have witnessed the abuse of a vulnerable adult in the past year, a new survey has revealed.
The research, carried out by Safeguarding Ireland, found that 12% of those who witnessed the abuse did nothing about it.
A further 57% discussed it with the person being abused while 40% discussed it with a trusted person.
Safeguarding Ireland is a non-governmental organisation which promotes the rights of vulnerable adults such as the elderly and those with a disability.
The organisation said greater resources, including introducing effective legislation and establishing a 24-hour information and support helpline, were essential to tackle the issue.
The research, which was carried out by Red C, found that 15% sought professional advice, and 3% reported what they witnessed to an authority such as the HSE or gardaí.
Safeguarding Ireland chairperson Patricia Rickard Clarke said: “The fact that 10% of Irish adults reported having witnessed abuse shows that official HSE figures – in excess of 10,000 alleged cases reported annually – are just the tip of the iceberg.
“The message from this research is clear – we need tougher laws to support people to take action and to call out abuse of vulnerable adults,” she said.
“When a vulnerable, or frail elderly person is forced to do something against their will – be it to do with their finances, their care, or their liberty – it is abuse and this is against the law.”
New legislation – the Assisted Decision Making bill – was introduced in 2015 but has yet to be enacted.
The Red C survey of 1,000 people showed younger people were among the groupings that were more likely to report the abuse they witnessed.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say