Although relatively rare, both the criminal and civil law recognise the phenomena of parent abuse, or ‘child to parent abuse’ (CPA), as it has become known. It takes many forms ranging from emotional abuse and emotional manipulation, to physical abuse; from financial exploitation, to serious physical assaults and destruction of property. In extreme cases, it can even involve sexual abuse and social isolation. It is recognised that ‘when CPA is combined with substance misuse, victims are often hit by the double shame of these two stigmatised issues, making it harder for them [abused parents] to access support.’
Recently, a man who forced his elderly mother to fund his drug habit has been sentenced to 20 months imprisonment for controlling and coercive behaviour. He had threatened and physically assaulted her, when she refused to give him money for drugs. The eighty odd year old victim was left with a swollen eye. The alarm was only raised when the victim fell behind on her payments to her sheltered housing accommodation in Barnet – leaving her £4,000 in debt.
A restraining order was made by the criminal court, the prosecutor pointing out that the victim had endured years of abuse at the hands of her son.
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