Attention News Editors:

June 15th is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

TORONTO, June 13 /CNW/ - The Ontario Provincial Police - Seniors
Assistance Team joins hundreds of other community-based organizations, across Ontario, in recognizing June 15th,2007 as the second annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

Statistics Canada indicates that 10% of seniors over the age of 65 suffer
from one or more forms of elder abuse. Research has also shown that there is a
great reluctance by older adults to report these crimes to police or service
providers to stop the abuse from continuing.

Throughout Ontario and the rest of the world, abuse and neglect of older
persons is largely under-recognized or treated as an unspoken problem.
Unfortunately, no community or country in the world is immune from this
costly, public health and human rights crisis. Research indicates that public
education campaigns like World Elder Abuse Awareness Day are vital to
informing citizens of the cost of abuse in our society.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is an opportunity for all Ontarians to
recognize and value the contributions made by seniors every day in communities
across the province. Currently Ontario's seniors population is estimated to be
1.64 million which represents 13% of our total population.

The Ontario Provincial Police is committed to supporting "Safe
Communities... A Secure Ontario" for all citizens, including our seniors',
through public education, awareness and crime prevention initiatives. Members
of the Ontario Provincial Police will be conducting information sessions on
seniors' issues in partnership with other community agencies, throughout the
month of June which is also seniors month.

As citizens of Ontario, we all need to work together to protect our
seniors from unscrupulous people who may intentionally be targeting our aging
population. Preventing elder abuse is a community challenge which will not be
resolved quickly by one person or one approach and will require a community
effort to stop the abuse.

If you are aware of a senior who may be a victim of elder abuse, you can
report it anonymously. Call Seniors Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
www.ontariocrimestoppers.com
For more information, you may contact your local OPP detachment, or visit
the OPP website at: www.opp.ca
For more information about the OPP's Seniors Assistance Team contact:

OPP Crime Prevention Section
General Headquarters
705-329-7680

For further information: Contact Person: Sergeant Rick Tout, OPP Seniors
Assistance Team, (705) 329-7680