Older People and Domestic Violence and Abuse

Wydall, Sarah; Freeman, Elize

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-29361-1_7

Cited by 2 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…In the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic, older persons were advised of the increased risk of severe illness or death as a result of contracting COVID‐19 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2020) which left them increasingly vulnerable to the risks associated with staying home with their abuser. Family violence and femicide in women over the age of 60 can be masked by stereotypic or ageist assumptions about older persons (Wydall & Freeman 2020) and deaths caused by violence or neglect can be falsely attributed to ongoing chronic illness, falls or underlying illness (Roberts 2021). There are reports that disabled people (UN Human Rights 2020; World Health Organization 2020c) and those from LGBTQ communities (Galea, Merchant, & Lurie 2020; Green, Dorison, & Price‐Feeny 2020) have been impacted by COVID‐19 more than the general population.…”

Section: Groups At Risk Of Family Violencementioning

confidence: 99%

COVID‐19 and family violence: Is this a perfect storm?

Usher

Bradbury‐Jones

Bhullar

et al. 2021

Int J Mental Health Nurs

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Disasters including public health crises like the COVID‐19 pandemic are known to increase instances of family violence against women, children, and other diverse populations. This paper discusses and provides evidence of disaster‐related vulnerability of and violence towards specific groups of people. We argue that the COVID‐19 pandemic presents the ‘perfect storm’ for family violence, where a set of rare circumstances combine, resulting in a significant aggravation of the resulting event. Given the mental health implications of family violence, mental health professionals need to be aware of this issue during the pandemic and ready to assist with the development of strategies to overcome the situation where possible. To provide protection and prevent violence, there is a need to include at‐risk groups in disaster response and community planning. Such a plan could involve gender and disaster working groups at the local community, state, and national levels.

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Section: Groups At Risk Of Family Violencementioning

confidence: 99%

COVID‐19 and family violence: Is this a perfect storm?

Usher

Bradbury‐Jones

Bhullar

et al. 2021

Int J Mental Health Nurs

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Age-related barriers for the participants of this study in leaving an abusive relationship are often linked to commitments such as finances, children, and longevity of the relationship; and they may need a compassionate, trauma-focused approach to enable them to recognize their own needs and articulate their experiences. For example, self-isolation from family and friends for midlife and older male survivors is likely to be experienced due to shame associated with being in a long-term abusive relationship (Wydall et al, 2020). Ensuring that all practitioners have the knowledge to help those in abusive relationships is important to ensure that the practitioner can respond to disclosures in a supportive manner (World Health Organization et al, 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This can place a significant burden on those who are already distressed by what is happening to their loved ones. Lack of training for family members and friends has implications for midlife and older people as inappropriate or unhelpful responses from formal support services may result in barriers to leaving or further isolation when others do not understand how difficult it is to leave (Wydall et al, 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With limited guidance and training aimed at supporting midlife and older male survivor’s policymakers, practitioners, and service providers may have conscious or unconscious biases toward partner violence and abuse which can have a detrimental impact on recovery (Crowe & Murray, 2015). It is important for service providers, particularly those services within the CJS and support services, to be aware of any personal and systemic biases toward midlife and older survivors and perpetrators of abuse and where such biases have originated (Wydall et al, 2020). Our article supports findings of others that suggest continuous and wider awareness raising for male survivors regardless of age is necessary (Hines et al, 2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The Process of Leaving Abuse: Midlife and Older Male Experiences of Female-Perpetrated Intimate Partner Violence

Carthy

Best

Divers

2023

J Interpers Violence

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Leaving an abusive relationship is a difficult process for all survivors. For men, this can be particularly challenging due to the current knowledge and support for survivors being heavily influenced by a feminist discourse, despite a growing body of research that examines men’s experiences. This raises concerns about how men make sense of abuse, where they seek support for injuries and psychological distress, and what services are available to them to help them move on from abuse. Narrative interviews with 12 midlife and older men (aged 45–65 years) who had experienced intimate partner violence from a female were conducted with the aim to explore their journey of leaving abuse. The men’s stories revealed themes of how they made sense of what was happening to them (legitimacy as a survivor and self-help), their experiences of service readiness to respond to male victimization (discrimination from police, legal system set up to support women, and service readiness for males), and how men can leave abuse (post-separation abuse and support from friends and family). Implications of the findings demonstrate that many services are still not equipped to support male survivors. The men in our study found it difficult to comprehend their experience as abuse and this is negatively reinforced by ineffective services and stereotypical beliefs about abuse. However, informal support through friends and family is a powerful tool in supporting men to leave abusive relationships. More work is needed to increase awareness of male survivors and ensure that services, including legal systems, are inclusive.

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Older People and Domestic Violence and Abuse

Cited by 2 publications

References 2 publications

COVID‐19 and family violence: Is this a perfect storm?

COVID‐19 and family violence: Is this a perfect storm?

The Process of Leaving Abuse: Midlife and Older Male Experiences of Female-Perpetrated Intimate Partner Violence

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