The Regional Campaign for Prevention of Violence against the Elderly starts today. This initiative is promoted in partnership by the Regional Directorate for Social Solidarity, the Azores Social Security Institute and the Centre for the Prevention and Combat to Domestic Violence.

This campaign is planned to run for three months and will have an organised presence on all islands of the archipelago. It includes several initiatives that aim to raise the awareness of the community for the issue of violence on elderly person and the promotion of active ageing.

The Government will carry out a series of actions with the support of the Public Security Police, designated as "Operações STOP - Pare a Violência contra a Pessoa Idosa” (Traffic Stop - Stop Violence Against Older Persons." It aims to raise the awareness of drivers for this issue with the delivery of an information leaflet.

Moreover, the campaign also includes a series of lectures to be delivered at Social Centre/ Day Centre. The lectures will address four different themes, namely "Prevention of Violence Against Older Persons - Ageing without Violence," "Crime Prevention (Robberies, Thefts and Scams)," " Social Networks (precautions to take)" and "Health Monitoring."

Overall, we expect to organise sixty awareness-raising campaigns aimed at the elderly population.

The initiatives developed under this campaign will be implemented by the Women's Integrated Support Network, Local Centres for the Prevention and Combat to Domestic Violence, Private Social Solidarity Institutions, Municipalities, Village Councils, Public Security Police and Health Units.