Violence Against Older Women

There is no age limit to becoming subject to domestic abuse. Domestic abuse affects people of all ages, socio-economic backgrounds, religions, cultures, geographic areas, sexual orientations, genders, and professions. Domestic abuse in later life can be perpetrated against someone healthy, ailing, or disabled. A partner, spouse, or companion can perpetrate the abuse. Often the person who acts abusively is the primary caregiver, thus making the older adult even more dependent on that person and isolated from others.

For many older survivors of domestic abuse, the abuse may have been going on for years. For others, the abuse may have begun later in life. Lifestyle changes for the survivor and the person who acts abusively may be factors that can bring about domestic abuse in later life. These changes can include retirement, aging, limited mobility, and illness.

 Older women experience abuse too

• 2/3 of elder domestic abuse and neglect survivors are women.
• More than half of all reported elder abuse and neglect is caused by family members. 
  
  

 Older women are less likely to be recognized as survivors

• The media usually portrays domestic abuse as a younger woman’s issue.
• Friends, neighbors, and even health care providers and other professionals often assume that an older women’s injuries and behavior are due simply to “old age,” when those symptoms may have been caused by abuse and neglect.
  
  

Older women who have been treated abusively are less likely to seek help

• Older women may be more economically vulnerable than younger women, and they may fear poverty, homelessness, or loss of health care benefits if they report abusive behavior by a spouse or family member.
• If an older woman is frail or dependent on others to provide physical care, she may fear being placed in a skilled nursing facility.
• Moreso than younger women, older women may have been socialized to minimize their own identity, needs, and desires.
• Older women may be less likely to seek social or psychological services because many were raised to believe that such help is a sign of weakness and failure.
• Older women may not be willing to view separation or divorce as options because of stigma or an inability to envision life without a long-term spouse. They may believe that abusive behavior is an acceptable part of a relationship. 
  
  

Services for older abused women are still developing

• Adult protective services (APS) in all states serve older women when such cases come to their attention. However, it is estimated that only a small fraction of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation is reported to APS.
• Shelters and services for women seldom serve older women because the environment is usually set up for mothers with young children.