Bakhulile, Abanakwa Futhi Baphathwa Kabi

INTO eyabonwa unogada othile owayezungeza isakhiwo njengenhlalayenza yamethusa kwaphela nasozwaneni. Wazithela phezu kwezidumbu ezimbili ngaphandle kwebhilidi likanokusho lokuhlala. Kwakuyizidumbu zombhangqwana oshadile osukhulile owawuziphonse ngefasitela usuka efulethini lawo elisesitezi sesi-8. Nakuba ukuzibulala kwawo kwakushaqisa, okwakushaqisa nakakhulu isizathu sokuzibulala kwawo. Incwadi eyatholakala esikhwameni somyeni yayithi: “Sizibulala ngoba indodana yethu nomakoti wayo bahlala besihlukumeza futhi basiphatha kabi kakhulu.”

Kungenzeka ukuthi ayivamile indaba efana nalena, kodwa kuyadabukisa ukuthi ukuphathwa kabi kwabantu asebekhulile kona kuyinto evamile. Ngempela, ukuphathwa kabi kwasebekhulile cishe kwenzeka emhlabeni wonke. Ake ucabange ngokulandelayo:

• Kokunye ukuhlola, amaphesenti amane abantu baseCanada asebekhulile abika ukuthi ayahlukunyezwa noma ayaxhashazwa—ngokuvamile exhashazwa othile emndenini. Nokho, abantu abaningi asebekhulile banamahloni noma besaba kakhulu ukukhuluma ngalolu sizi lwabo. Izazi zithi kungenzeka ukuthi empeleni bacishe babe ngamaphesenti ayishumi abantu ababhekene nalesi simo.

• Umagazini i-India Today uyabika: “Nakuba isizwe samaNdiya sibonakala sengathi sisondelene kakhulu, baya banda abantu asebekhulile kuso abangafunwa yizingane zabo.”

• I-National Center on Elder Abuse ithi ngokwamanani anokwethenjelwa kakhulu kulinganiselwa ukuthi “abantu baseMelika abaneminyaka engu-65 noma ngaphezulu abayisigidi noma izigidi ezimbili baye balinyazwa, baxhashazwa, noma baphathwa kabi ngandlela-thile ngumuntu abathembele kuye ukuba abanakekele noma abavikele.” Isekela lommeli esifundeni saseSan Diego, eCalifornia, lithi ukuhlukunyezwa kwasebekhulile “enye yezinkinga ezinkulu abezomthetho ababhekene nazo namuhla.” Liyanezela: “Ngibona sengathi izokhula eminyakeni embalwa ezayo.”

• ECanterbury, eNew Zealand, kuyanda ukukhathazeka ngokuthi abantu asebekhulile bahlushwa amalungu emikhaya yabo—ikakhulu lawo anezinkinga zezidakamizwa, utshwala noma ukugembula. Inani lamacala abikiwe okuhlukunyezwa linyukile eCanterbury lisuka ku-65 ngo-2002 liya ku-107 ngo-2003. Ophethe inhlangano eyasungulwa ukuze kuvinjelwe le mpatho uthi kungenzeka ukuthi leli nani lincane kakhulu kunalokho okwenzeka ngempela.

 • I-Japan Times ithi i-Japan Federation of Bar Associations yeluleka ngokuthi “izisulu ezikhulile kudingeka zinakwe nakakhulu ukudlula izingane ezihlukunyezwayo noma obunye ubudlova basekhaya.” Ngani? I-Times ithi esinye isizathu ukuthi “ukuhlukunyezwa kwasebekhulile kuyaphuza ukuvela uma kuqhathaniswa nokuhlukunyezwa kwezingane noma komngane womshado, ngokwengxenye, ngenxa yokuthi abantu asebekhulile baye bazibeke bona icala lapho behlushwa izingane zabo, nangenxa yokuthi kuze kube manje uhulumeni neziphathimandla zendawo baye behluleka ukuyixazulula le nkinga.”

Lezi zibonelo ezimbalwa zokwenzeka emhlabeni wonke zenza sibuze: Kungani abantu asebekhulile abaningi kangaka benganakwa futhi bephathwa kabi? Likhona yini ithenjana lokuthi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi izinto zizolunga? Yini engaduduza abantu asebekhulile?