It should be that every senior citizen in Michigan is safe and secure with no threat of abuse.
But that is not the case.
Elder abuse is real, whether that abuse is physical, emotional or even financial. It is one of the most underreported crimes in our state and across the country.
One guess is that 100,000 seniors in Michigan will be victimized by someone looking to take advantage of them.
This morning, Cynthia Canty was given the privilege to emcee the unveiling of a new campaign called "No Excuse for Elder Abuse".
She introduced a panel of high-ranking judges and prosecutors representing seven counties in Southeast Michigan.
Each of the judges and prosecutors at the event this morning have agreed to serve as the "champion" for the No Excuse for Elder Abuse campaign in his or her county.
Among those members was Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith.
Smith joined us on Stateside today, to give us his experiences on elder abuse and to give us a breakdown on the patterns of what is happening, who is taking advantage of Michigan's senior citizens and what he hopes the campaign will achieve.
There will be Public Service Announcements hitting the airwaves promoting the confidential hotline for reporting abuse. That number is 855-444-3911.
Listen to the full interview above.
