Elderly Turks aged 75 and above were the most frequent victims of rights violations in the first quarter of 2024, according to a report by the Senex Monitoring Project.
The report documented 378 cases of elder rights violations — including neglect, discrimination and abuse — between January and April, with 58 percent of the cases resulting in death. The violations ranged from suspicious deaths to preventable accidents, highlighting the vulnerability of older individuals, especially those living in poverty.
İstanbul, Antalya and Aydın were hotspots for these incidents, with Istanbul reporting 29 cases, three of which were fatal. Other cities such as Bursa also saw high levels of abuse, many leading to fatalities.
Negligence by authorities in enforcing various regulations was the most frequent violation, with 98 cases related to traffic accidents where elderly pedestrians were struck crossing streets, exposing gaps in road safety measures. The report also documented instances of falls due to negligence, accounting for 27 cases.
Suspicious deaths accounted for 77 cases, many involving elderly individuals found dead in public spaces, while fire-related deaths, particularly in rural areas, totaled 45. Many of these deaths were deemed preventable, linked to neglect or poor housing conditions. Fraud was another significant issue, with 17 cases targeting older adults.
Men represented 55 percent of the victims, while women made up 36 percent. Elderly couples comprised 9 percent of cases, and nearly half (48 percent) of the victims were aged 75 and older, underscoring the vulnerability of the oldest members of society.
The report pointed to systemic failures in social services and age-based discrimination as key factors in the rise of rights violations, particularly affecting poor, isolated or disabled elderly individuals. According to the report many deaths could have been prevented with better caregiving systems and more stringent oversight by authorities.
