In this life many things can be called cowardly, but few are more so than attacks on the elderly. And in 2010 more than a thousand cases were reported to the authorities and, similar to domestic abuse, the reported number is assuredly far less than the actual.

The majority of those who called in were women (no surprise, they are far more compassionate than we who claim dominance), and also no surprise, the majority (64%) preferred to remain anonymous. The attacks (and all these are attacks) involved abandonment, negligence, physical and psychological ill treatment, both in private homes and old-age homes.

The profile of the typical abused person is female, around 75, with some sort of chronic infirmity or else senility, and who finds herself socially isolated. Step right up and attack them, eh? Nice. The non-surprise is that the attacker’s profile, who is usually a family member, economically dependent upon the victim, with antecedents of violence and or a drug dependence.

Of course, whether family member or desperate and cowardly thug, no excuse exists for this. Preying on the weak and ill is nature’s job. We are above all that, and must be. Here endeth the epistle.