DEH CHO - While black eyes and other injuries are the obvious indicators of mistreatment, frontline workers say abuse can also take the form of a bruised bank account.

This year's theme for Family Violence Awareness Week, which began on Oct. 4, is the abuse of the elderly.

Abuse is often thought of as physical or emotional damage, but community social service worker Alex Campbell said financial abuse is an unseen and common problem for many elders and seniors in the Northwest Territories.

"Financial abuse is one that is quite common, we see it a lot in the territory," he said.

Community wellness worker Pat Switzer said she agreed.

"It's hard to say for sure, but I would say it's a fairly big problem," Switzer said. "It's not like I've only heard of one or two cases, this is something I hear on an ongoing basis."

Because many elders and seniors require help with daily routines such as banking and paying bills, family and friends often have access to their bank accounts and pension cheques, Switzer said.

In the wrong hands, this information can be used to misuse the elder or senior's money.

Alcohol and drug addiction are often reasons why individuals take money, Switzer also said.

"A lot of time addictions play a huge part in this," she said. "When you see elders that are abused for drugs or alcohol it's heartbreaking, it's gut-wrenching."

Victims often remain silent about their situation because they are often related to their abusers.

"Not much is said because they don't want to see the kids get into trouble," she said.

It can be hard for some elders or seniors to refuse to give financial information to their family members, Switzer also said.

"It's all fine and dandy to say 'don't give out any information, tell them they can't have it', but it's not that cut and dried," she said.

Sometimes elders don't even know their money is being taken until it's too late, president of the NWT senior's society Tom Wilson said.

"It goes unnoticed until the end of the month when money is getting short and there is no money for food," he said.

Other times, the financial abuse can be unintentional, Wilson said. Grandchildren or others sometimes borrow money without realizing they are leaving the elder short on cash.

Seniors and elders can have a difficult time saying no to their children and give money they can't afford to let go of.

"The senior or the elder is often put between a rock and a hard place," Wilson said.

"It's not that they don't want to, but they have bills to pay also."

Campbell said elders rarely bring the problem forward themselves.

"Often another family member will take notice of it," he said. "Because it happens behind closed doors, it can be difficult to pick up on."

The abuse is rarely reported to the RCMP, but family members sometimes raise the issue to someone else they are comfortable talking to, Campbell said.

"A lot of people often go through their local bands and speak with their local chief or councillors," he said.

While she said such a complex issue can't be solved overnight, Switzer said the key is events like Family Violence Awareness Week which promotes education and openness.

She and her colleagues were scheduled to do a presentation at Thomas Simpson High School on Oct. 7.

"It certainly won't happen today or tomorrow, but maybe it's a start," she said.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.