Aboriginal elders are being abused in their own communities - blatantly harassed for their money on pension days, physically and sexually assaulted, robbed and neglected.

The indigenous elders often tolerated the abuse, fearing they would lose their children and grandchildren to authorities and "welfare" in yet another legacy of the stolen generation. 

A report by the West Australian Public Advocate, the first of its kind in the nation, has found financial abuse is the most common type of abuse against Aboriginal elders. 

The abuse was usually perpetrated by family members - most often their grandchildren, who were reported to take $50 and $100 notes from the elders. 
Many elders felt a sense of "shame" at their abuse, which was exacerbated by alcohol use, poverty, itinerant lifestyles, responsibilities to extended family, poor health and limited resources.

A breakdown in respect for elders, particularly in urban areas, was also partly to blame for the problems, the report said. 

The three-month, $75,000 project involved consultation with service providers and "yarning" sessions with individuals. 

"Information from consultations is that some Aboriginal families are dealing with 'abuse' on a daily basis from close and extended family members," the report said. 

"This abuse takes the form of financial, physical, social and psychological abuse and usually occurs during 'pay weeks'." 

The report found some elderly people had no Western concept of money and gave their cash to relatives because they had a cultural obligation to share. 
It said that in one remote community, which is not identified, the local bank agent held clients' keycards under an informal arrangement that allowed only certain family members to withdraw money on the elders' behalf. 

"This situation has occurred because of past experiences where family members, especially those affected by alcohol, were demanding monies from the oldies and taking money from them on their pay days," the report said. 
Financial abuse of elderly people in the Perth metropolitan area was most likely to occur when they were most vulnerable, especially when they had been drinking. 

"Elderly people in the park are easy targets for some to stand over, rob people for monies, especially during pension week," a community worker said in an interview with researchers. 

Reports of physical abuse included an incident in which a male elder was pushed from the veranda of his house by his grandson and broke his hip after refusing a request for money. 

The elder was sent to a hospital hundreds of kilometres from his home where he died after several weeks. 

The case raised concerns that police had taken no action to lay charges, while others in the community believed traditional punishment was appropriate. 
The report said sexual abuse was less common against elders but most likely to occur when the perpetrator - and in many cases the victim - was affected by alcohol. 

In some cases, women were not even aware that they had been abused. 
State Justice Minister John D'Orazio said the report's recommendations - including community education, training, support for local initiatives and housing - would be considered by the Government. 

>> Report available here <<