While banks have not reported an increase in the incidence of financial abuse as a result of family and elder abuse, welfare case workers says there is strong anecdotal evidence that such incidents are on the rise but are not being reported because of fear of embarrassment and to protect family members who might be the abusers.
PRONIA, a Melbourne welfare organisation that works within the Greek community, has dealt for a number of years with the issue of financial abuse within the community.
The organisation’s Aged and Co-ordinated Care Services Manager Nikki Efremidis told
Neos Kosmos that it was difficult to resolve such issues as the victims preferred to suffer the abuse rather than to admit that there was a problem or to even recognise that there was a problem.