PARENTS ALSO GET ABUSED: LESSONS FROM SELECT FILMS AND BIBLICAL ACCOUNTS

Abstract

There has been so much discourse on the abuse of children by parents, teachers, guardians and other caregivers and less attention is given to the fact that parents too have been victims of abuse by their adult children. Matter of fact, the abuse of parents in family circles has increased in recent years for a variety of reasons, including the increasing proportion of older adults in the total population, also the related increase in chronic disabling diseases, and the increasing involvement of families in care giving relationships with the old. In this wise, this paper identifies and conceptualizes the problems of parents or elder abuse in a wider perspective, while defining it in the context of the Nigerian situation. It explains elder abuse from the global and historical perceptive, identifying the various forms of abuse, their prevention and intervention strategies, societal norms to confront it, the roles of individuals, family, the society and government and teaching the rights of older persons. This effort is to create awareness and sensitize the individual, family, society and government about the problems and consequences of continued, unabated gross abuse of senior citizens as they live in silence and ignorance of their rights. This paper selects films and Biblical accounts for framing conceptually relevant and effective prevention strategies as well as for understanding the specific character of the broader issue of the intergenerational nature of the quality of life in an aging African and Nigerian society, and discovers that there are no enough programs and laws put in place to secure the welfare and emotional security of the aged parents. It finally concludes that although the law enforcement in some instances have apprehended the assaulters but there still exists, a void in policy formulation in order to forestall future disrespectful occurrences.