Perpetrators of abuse against older women: a multi‐national study in Europe
| Date | 09 December 2011 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14668201111194212 |
| Published date | 09 December 2011 |
| Pages | 302-314 |
| Author | Liesbeth De Donder,Gert Lang,Minna‐Liisa Luoma,Bridget Penhale,José Ferreira Alves,Ilona Tamutiene,Ana J. Santos,Mira Koivusilta,Edith Enzenhofer,Sirkka Perttu,Tiina Savola,Dominique Verté |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Sociology |
Perpetrators of abuse against older
women: a multi-national study in Europe
Liesbeth De Donder, Gert Lang, Minna-Liisa Luoma, Bridget Penhale, Jose
´Ferreira Alves,
Ilona Tamutiene, Ana J. Santos, Mira Koivusilta, Edith Enzenhofer, Sirkka Perttu, Tiina Savola
and Dominique Verte
´
Abstract
Purpose – This article aims to explore the perpetrators of abuse among older women living in the
community. The study examines whether differences between the perpetrators of different forms of
abuse, and for different groups of older women (e.g. by income or age groups) can be detected. Finally,
it aims to investigate whether older women talk about the abuse to family or friends, or report it to an
official or formal agency, in relation to different perpetrators.
Design/methodology/approach – This article provides results from the prevalence study of Abuse and
Violence against Older Women in Europe (AVOW-study).The study involved scientific partners from five
EU countries: Finland, Austria, Belgium, Lithuania, and Portugal. In these five countries, the same study
was conducted during 2010. In total, 2,880 older women living in the community were interviewed during
the course of the study.
Findings – The results indicate that 28.1per cent of older women across all countries have experienced
some kind of violence and abuse, in the last 12 months, by someone who is close to them. The results
offer specific figures for the prevalence of different types of abuse, i.e. physical, psychological, sexual,
and financial abuse; violation of personal rights; and neglect. Furthermore, additional insights about the
main perpetrators of abuse for different groups of older women are offered.
Research limitations/implications – The article does not address the differences between the five
countries. Further research could examine the between-country variations and identify possible
country-specific explanations.
Practical implications – The implications of these findings for the development of policy and practice
are highlighted. Applying only a crime-focused approach on this topic is not sufficient. Health and social
welfare sectors play a key role in ensuring dignity in, and quality of, formal and informal care and need to
be supported to do so.
Originality/value – The paper presents the findings of an extensive multi-national survey on abuse of
older women in five European countries.
Keywords Abuse, Mistreatment, Violence, Neglect, Older adults, Women
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The EU population is ageing rapidly: the proportion of the population aged 65 and over will
rise from 17.1 per cent in 2008 to 30 per cent in 2060. The numbers of people aged 80 and
over will even triple during the same period (European Parliament, 2010). Elder abuse is a
growing concern in all countries in the European Region. It is an infringement of human
rights, and prevention of elder maltreatment is a common challenge across governments
and many sectors (Sethi et al., 2011). Prevalence rates of elder abuse in the community
range from 0.8 to 29.3 per cent (de Donder et al., 2011), and an increase in the older
population will result in an increase of older people at risk of elder abuse and maltreatment.
Gender is an important factor in ageing as well as in elder abuse. First, women outnumber
men in older age groups in all European Union countries. Of over-75-year-olds, women make
up two-thirds of the population; of over-85-year-olds the proportion of women is 71 per cent
PAGE 302
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THE JOURNAL OF ADULT PROTECTION
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VOL. 13 NO. 6 2011, pp. 302-314, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1466-8203 DOI 10.1108/14668201111194212
Liesbeth De Donder and
Dominique Verte
´are based
in the Department of
Educational Sciences,
Vrije Universiteit Brussel,
Brussels, Belgium.
Gert Lang and
Edith Enzenhofer are based
at the Research Institute
of the Red Cross, Vienna,
Austria.
Minna-Liisa Luoma and
Mira Koivusilta are based in
the Department of Living
Conditions, Health and
Wellbeing, National Institute
for Health and Welfare
(THL), Helsinki, Finland.
Bridget Penhale is based at
the School of Nursing and
Midwifery,University of East
Anglia, Norwich, UK.
Jose
´Ferreira Alves and
Ana J. Santos are based in
the School of Psychology,
University of Minho, Braga,
Portugal.
Ilona Tamutiene is based in
the Sociology Department,
Vytautas Magnus
University, Kaunas,
Lithuania.
Sirkka Perttu and
Tiina Savola are based at
the Palmenia Centre for
Continuing Education,
University of Helsinki,
Helsinki, Finland.
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