Maria is in her seventies. She lives with her adult son and spends much of her time trying to keep the peace.
At the shops, she checks the time constantly. She worries about being late getting home.
She worries about saying the wrong thing.
She worries about what mood her son will be in when she walks through the door.
He tracks where she goes. He pressures her for money. Sometimes he stands in the doorway and refuses to move until she gives him what he wants.
Maria says he is not the same boy she raised.
For a long time, she did not know how to tell anyone what was happening. So she carried a small piece of paper in her purse. A helpline number cut from an elder abuse brochure, with the words removed so her son would not find it.
One day, at the shops, Maria spoke briefly with someone from Council on the Ageing Queensland. Before getting on the bus home, she quietly showed them the piece of paper.
Because she needed someone to know.
Maria's video
Some viewers may find these stories emotional or confronting. They are inspired by real lived experiences shared with Council on the Ageing Queensland. To protect the privacy and confidentiality of those involved, the people featured are digital representations rather than real individuals. Every story has been carefully de-identified while keeping the person’s experience at the heart of the story.
About Maria's story
Maria’s story explores coercive control, fear, psychological abuse and financial abuse. Abuse and mistreatment of older people is not always visible. It can happen through control, intimidation, monitoring, threats, pressure for money, or making someone feel afraid in their own home.
Maria’s story shows how fear can shape ordinary moments: checking the time, choosing words carefully, avoiding conflict, and looking for a safe moment to let someone know something is wrong.
In Maria’s story, the signs are subtle. They include:
constantly worrying about getting home on time.
trying to keep the peace to avoid conflict.
feeling afraid of saying the wrong thing.
being tracked or monitored.
being pressured for money.
being physically blocked from leaving or moving freely.
hiding information or support details from the person causing harm.
making a quiet disclosure when someone feels safe.
Why this matters
Fear can become part of everyday life.
Many older people experiencing abuse and mistreatment continue to care deeply about the person causing them harm. They may not want that person to get into trouble. They may feel responsible for them, worry about what will happen if they speak up, or fear the situation could become worse.
That is why many people don’t ask for help straight away.
Maria’s story reminds us that sometimes the first step isn’t reporting abuse. Sometimes, it’s simply finding the courage to let someone know.
Find information and support
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger please call 000 for emergency services. For text-based emergency access (for hearing or speech impairment), call 106.
If these stories have raised concerns for you or someone you know, support is available. You don’t have to work it out alone.
Looking for legal support in your area?
Queensland has a network of community legal centres and legal support services that can provide advice on matters such as elder abuse, financial abuse, powers of attorney, guardianship and other legal issues.
Every story matters
Maria’s story is one of six stories in A Time to Listen, a Council on the Ageing Queensland storytelling project sharing experiences inspired by the lived experiences of older Queenslanders.
Sometimes, the most important thing we can do is create a safe space for someone to speak.
Listening without judgement and responding with compassion can help someone take their first step towards support.
Acknowledgements
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the older Queenslanders who generously shared their stories and experiences with us. Your courage, honesty and willingness to speak about difficult experiences have made this project possible and will help raise awareness of the abuse and mistreatment of older people across Queensland.
To protect privacy, the stories have been carefully de-identified and recreated using AI technology while remaining true to the experiences shared.
This series was produced by Red Hat Films in partnership with Council on the Ageing (COTA) Queensland.