Abuse in Later Life: Power and Control Dynamics and a Victim-Centered Response

Spangler, Deb; Brandl, Bonnie

doi:10.1177/1078390306298878

Cited by 26 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Whatever attempts are made to ensure that services are more appropriate for older women experiencing IPV, working collaboratively with various stakeholders is a key component (Spangler & Brandl, 2007;Straka & Montminy, 2006;Vinton, 2003). Health professionals, the criminal justice system, and family violence services all have a role to play.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Ecological Synthesis of Research on Older Women's Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence

Weeks¹,

Leblanc²

2011

Journal of Women & Aging

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In this systematic literature review, we synthesized the current knowledge of intimate partner violence experienced by older women. We identified 32 studies that included data collected from older women and synthesized the findings using the ecological model as an organizing framework. Themes in the microsystem included the immediate context in which the abuse takes place and impacts on older women. The mesosystem included themes on the older woman's relationships with her social network. Themes in the exosystem encompassed community-based services. Finally, themes in the macrosystem encompassed broad ideologies, mores, and influences of the geographic location. We used the ecological model to frame a discussion of implications for future research, policy, and practice.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Ecological Synthesis of Research on Older Women's Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence

Weeks¹,

Leblanc²

2011

Journal of Women & Aging

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“…This is similar to our conflict about romantic relationship category. These similarities reflect that much elder abuse is between intimate partners, described as “domestic violence grown old,” which has been recognized by researchers (Brandl, 2000; Spangler & Brandl, 2007). Also, this reinforces that interpersonal family violence, often driven by the desire for power and control, is similar regardless of the ages of the victim and abuser and their relationship (Brandl, 2000; Spangler & Brandl, 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Acute Precipitants of Physical Elder Abuse: Qualitative Analysis of Legal Records From Highly Adjudicated Cases

Rosen

Bloemen

LoFaso

et al. 2016

J Interpers Violence

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Elder abuse is a common phenomenon with potentially devastating consequences for older adults. Although researchers have begun to identify predisposing risk factors for elder abuse victims and abusers, little is known about the acute precipitants that lead to escalation to physical violence. We analyzed legal records from highly adjudicated cases to describe these acute precipitants for physical elder abuse. In collaboration with a large, urban district attorney’s office, we qualitatively evaluated legal records from 87 successfully prosecuted physical elder abuse cases from 2003 to 2015. We transcribed and analyzed narratives of the events surrounding physical abuse within victim statements, police reports, and prosecutor records. We identified major themes using content analysis. We identified 10 categories of acute precipitants that commonly triggered physical elder abuse, including victim attempting to prevent the abuser from entering or demanding that he or she leave, victim threatening or attempting to leave/escape, threat or perception that the victim would involve the authorities, conflict about a romantic relationship, presence during/intervention in ongoing family violence, issues in multi-generational child rearing, conflict about the abuser’s substance abuse, confrontation about financial exploitation, dispute over theft/destruction of property, and disputes over minor household issues. Common acute precipitants of physical elder abuse may be identified. Improved understanding of these acute precipitants for escalation to physical violence and their contribution to elder abuse may assist in the development of prevention and management strategies.

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“…Similar to IPV literature, elder abuse studies have highlighted a reduced sense of mastery over the environment and feelings of powerlessness as emotional consequences (Parker, ; Quinn & Tomita, ; Spangler & Brandl, ). Seligman's () “learned helplessness” describes how individuals experiencing abuse can perceive themselves helpless to change the situation they are in, and therefore give up seeking or accepting help, given that a motivation to respond to a situation is weakened if the individual feels nothing can be done to affect the outcomes (Quinn & Tomita, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Older adults' emotional reactions to elder abuse: Individual and victimisation determinants

Santos

Nunes

Kislaya

et al. 2018

Health Soc Care Community

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Elder abuse has been gaining public, state, and scientific attention for the past 40 years, but research focusing on emotional reactions of older adults to victimisation is still scarce. The study describes the emotions and feelings of older adults who experienced abuse in a community setting, and the association between these emotions and individual or abuse characteristics. The cross‐sectional study comprises 510 older adults who were identified and referred by four institutions. Participants answered a questionnaire on elder abuse experiences, including the emotion or feeling brought out by the act of abuse that was perceived to be the most serious. Fear and sadness comprised 67.1% of all provided responses. Emotional reactions were associated with functional status, the presence of depressive symptoms, relationship with the perpetrator and, to a limited degree, to the experience of multiple types of abuse. The most significant and meaningful variable was the relationship with the perpetrator. This study demonstrates that older adults present very similar patterns of emotional reactions, but individual characteristics and the established relationship with the perpetrator might mediate the emotional response. Implications for prevention and intervention of elder abuse are discussed.

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Abuse in Later Life: Power and Control Dynamics and a Victim-Centered Response

Cited by 26 publications

References 31 publications

An Ecological Synthesis of Research on Older Women's Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence

An Ecological Synthesis of Research on Older Women's Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence

Acute Precipitants of Physical Elder Abuse: Qualitative Analysis of Legal Records From Highly Adjudicated Cases

Older adults' emotional reactions to elder abuse: Individual and victimisation determinants

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