Ageing and Elder Abuse in Zimbabwe: A Documentary Analysis of Institutional Responses, Legal Frameworks and Community Interventions
Keywords:
abuse, ageing, challenges, documentary analysis, elderlyAbstract
The elderly have an inalienable right to live free from abuse and neglect. This article interrogates the challenges and opportunities associated with institutional responses to elder abuse in Zimbabwe. Some of the forms of abuse under review include: physical abuse, financial exploitation, emotional neglect, sexual abuse, and witchcraft-related accusations. Feminist Political Economy Theory was employed to analyse the realities of abused elderly persons in Zimbabwe. The study also used qualitative documentary analysis to enrich it. The research findings suggest that because of the social context, the elderly persons in Zimbabwe are vulnerable to multiple forms of abuse. The legal, institutional and community responses to elder abuse in Zimbabwe are severely affected by the social context. The article concludes by lobbying and advocating for duty bearers to enhance protective mechanisms for older persons in Zimbabwe so that they can live a dignified life.
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