Study shows elderly domestic abuse is a big issue.

January 17, 2013 at 11:07 am | Posted in Domestic Violence, Elderly people, Law | Leave a comment

At i-docServe, we process orders for people from all walks of life and that includes all age ranges. However, domestic violence against elderly victims is something that is perhaps less acknowledged than that against younger generations. This is something that authorities in Somerset are aiming to change, with particular focus upon increasing the visibility of domestic abuse in the over 50s.

This report from the BBC describes personal cases which show that older victims are possibly more likely to tolerate domestic abuse because they have been conditioned to do so. The charity North Somerset Against Domestic Violence have released the statistic that at least one case of domestic abuse in the over 50s is seen a week. This rather shocking data has prompted further charities, such as Chapter One, to look into whether the services offered are fit to this purpose.

The study carried out by Chapter One showed that older people are particularly less likely to report violence, as domestic abuse has not been viewed as a crime for very long. One victim stated that “my age group has no financial independence and they’ve invested time and had a family – they’ve got to walk away from everything and that’s what traps them”. The study further discussed the possible reasons for domestic abuse at an older age, with the mental and physical changes associated with aging itself presenting as factors which put pressure on relationships.

In Somerset, those elderly victims that need to leave the family home are being offered self-contained ground-floor flats, as it is acknowledged that they need their own space. Members of staff check in on them regularly and offer help.

Is domestic abuse in the elderly something that authorities throughout the country should look into?