Meeting the special needs of older battered women

Aging, Spring, 1996

(The following article is made up of excerpts from a report, Abused Elders or Older Battered Women?, on an AARP Forum held October 29-30, 1992. The full report, published in 1993, can be ordered fRom the Women's Initiative, Special Activities Department, American Association of Retired Persons, 601 E Street, N. W., Washington, DC 20049)

Even though there is evidence that spouse/partner abuse may constitute a large portion of all elder abuse, older women abused by their husbands/partners may be falling between the cracks in both the elder abuse and domestic violence communities. Responding to this concern, the Women's Initiative of AARP convened a forum in October 1992 to bring together representatives of both communities to exchange information, begin a dialogue, and identify some initial recommendations about how to better meet the needs of older battered women. Approximately 25 researchers, advocates, service providers, and medical and legal professionals from the fields of elder abuse and domestic violence participated.

Prior to the forum, AARP ran a small article in the AARP Bulletin asking battered women to write about their experiences with abuse and with seeking help. The responses were alarming. More than 500 letters arrived within a month from women who wanted to tell their stories in the hope their experiences could help others. Some women were in their 80s and had suffered verbal, physical, and mental abuse for 35, 40, even 50 years.

Some recurring themes emerged from their letters:

* Many of the writers described years of silent suffering; many said this was the first time they had ever told anyone of the abuse.

* Many writers were isolated from family and friends as a result of the abuse itself or of trying to keep the abuse secret.

* There were stories of extreme physical violence -- being pushed, hit, and even shoved down flights of stairs, suffering fractures, dislocated joints, and deep muscle bruises that took weeks to heal.

* Almost all wrote about emotional abuse, describing name calling, degrading accusations, and constant verbal battering.

* Alcohol abuse was a very frequent companion to violent behavior.

* Many described seeking help from professionals, clergy, and the police, only to be told they must have done something wrong to provoke their husbands. Some had received the help they needed from local services; however, many more had not.

For older women of color, getting help may be compounded by racism, ageism, poverty and disability. This is seen in the African American community, where the possibility of police brutality results in women going directly to shelters without ever calling the police. Participants pointed out the additional barriers faced by Hispanic women of all ages, and particularly immigrant and refugee women, who must overcome the isolation that results from cultural and language barriers. If a woman feels culturally alienated in a battered women's shelter and legal system geared toward Anglos, she will have greater difficulty in leaving a violent relationship.

Proposals for Change

The dearth of knowledge about the over-50 age groups makes improved research first among steps to link the elder abuse and battered women's communities. Some of the specific questions to be addressed include the following:

* What are the specific risk factors for battering in later years? What roles are played by physical dependency, substance abuse, and other observed phenomena? How often is abuse triggered by age-related events such as retirement or illness?

* What are the barriers in service systems that prevent older women from seeking and receiving help?

* What roles do ethnicity, race, and culture play in the way people perceive the problem, seek services, and make decisions?

Improving the legal response to a complaint of abuse is another important component in stopping abuse and preventing further incidents. This includes:

* Strengthening abuse laws to cover all abusing partners;

* Educating judges, police, and other legal personnel about the problem;

* Increasing access to affordable legal services through specially trained non-lawyers and by developing more user-friendly information about the court system;

* Creating a national registry of abusers.

To enhance protective services, forum participants recommended that communities:

* Ensure that appropriate, accessible, and safe shelters are available that take into account the needs of older women, with special attention to rural communities. Programs should be designed and operated to be multicultural and multilingual.

* Provide cross-training, coordination, and coalition-building between the elder abuse and domestic violence communities.

* Sensitize all medical and legal professionals, counselors, and religious leaders about sexism, racism, and ageism.

* Build coalitions to respond to diversity and empower battered women.

* Reach out to older women by disseminating information about domestic violence through senior centers and home services, health clinics and physicians, civic associations, and public benefits offices. Conduct outreach to women whose partners are substance abusers or are mentally ill.