47% of elder abuse offenders are children: data

By Kang Aa-young

About half of elder abuse offenders were the victims' children, mostly sons, data shows.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Monday, 4,280 cases of elderly abuse were reported in 2016, the latest data available.

Emotional abuse accounted for 40.1 percent, physical abuse 31.3 percent and negligence 11.4 percent.

Of the offenders, 3,113 were men (67.1 percent) and 1,524 were women (32.9 percent).

The victims' sons accounted for 37.3 percent of cases, while daughters took up 10.2 percent.

Nearly half, or 47.5 percent, of offenders were in their 40s and 50s.

About 88.8 percent of abuse cases took place in the victims' homes.