Definitions
Types of violence within the context of domestic violence
Special forms of violence
Gender
Gender-based violence
Facts about gender-based violence in Europe and worldwide
Victims of domestic violence
Perpetrators of domestic violence
Risk factors for domestic violence
Consequences of domestic violence
Introduction
Various factors on the individual, relationship, community, and societal level can put victims at greater or lesser risk. Certain groups of people are particularly vulnerable to domestic violence and may lack support services.
Domestic violence can have serious and long-lasting consequences – from immediate and short term to inter-generational effects. There can be serious health, social and economic impacts for victims and their families. Even though men can also be victims, women experience higher rates of repeated victimisation and are much more likely to be seriously hurt than men (80 vs. 20 %) (Walby & Towers, 2017). Furthermore, women are more likely to experience higher levels of fear and are more likely to be subjected to coercive and controlling behaviours (Hester, 2013; Myhill, 2017).
Learning objectives
This module aims at gaining a better understanding of domestic violence and its forms and consequences. Knowing about the specific contexts and the impact of domestic abuse can be a helpful step in understanding the individual needs of victims.
Sources
‘So many people don’t understand what domestic violence is about. It’s not all about being beaten up, it’s also not allowing you to see your friends; not allowing you your own money; it’s controlling your life in every possible way; no one can see it.‘
‘Helping a victim of domestic violence means laying down the base of a house. Only this will allow her to step out of the situation. It means to map the past and to map the present in terms of the roots of violence in the family and all the consequences of violence in the present.‘
‘Intimate partner violence is not the specificity of the poor and uneducated, like many people misbelieve. The wife of a well-known politician was sheltered here. Upper middle-class family. The husband was a well-respected community leader and a churchman. Some people knew what was happening behind closed doors. Kids had to witness how the father raped the mother. He even peed on the kids as a punishment for misbehaving. The man was so influential in his city that the Guardianship office refused to help when they realised that his name is involved. It was almost hopeless for the wife to escape from her prison, because most people would not believe her and those who believed her didn’t dare to help her.‘
Tasks
(1) Think about the ways in which you may have encountered the term ‘domestic violence and abuse’ so far. How do you define domestic violence and abuse? What does it mean to you and are you aware of any other terms used to describe the same phenomenon?
(2) You may wish to make some brief notes and return to these as you continue to read. As you read the different definitions, reflect whether this would change anything about your initial views.
Examples of participants of a training course on domestic violence
‘When I read these quotes, I feel mainly helpless. The quotes show how incredibly complex the topic of domestic violence is and how difficult it is for those affected to break out of it. Domestic violence goes far beyond the physical use of violence and affects the victims in many different life situations: it is not only about physical violence, but also about control, gender bias and shame, loss of trust and powerlessness.’
‘I’ve just realised how widespread domestic violence is. That everyone must have had contact with domestic violence somewhere, and that perpetrators were perhaps once victims, innocent children who could not help what happened to them, that we often overlook violence or don’t want to see it. Because knowledge about it makes us accomplices.’
Definitions
We are all familiar with the terms intimate partner violence, domestic violence, violence in close relationships and child abuse, although we don’t always stop to reflect what these terms actually mean, and whether there is any overlap between the different concepts presented in the definition of domestic violence and intimate partner violence, respectively.
Definition of domestic violence
Domestic violence is defined as any violent, threatening, coercive or controlling behaviour that occurs in families or intimate relationships. It includes any abuse or violence occurring within a family, for example between siblings, uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents, in-laws, and elders, or within intimate partnerships, referring to a survivor’s current or previous partner or living companion, including same sex relationships. Domestic violence can happen to anyone regardless of age, gender, profession, social background, culture, religion, or sexuality.
Definition of intimate partner violence
Intimate partner violence is any behaviour within an intimate relationship that causes physical, emotional, sexual, economic, and social harm to those in the relationship. An intimate relationship may refer to a victim’s current or previous partner or living companion, including same sex relationships.
Violent behaviour as spontaneous conflict behaviour in a partnership must be clearly distinguished from systematic violent and controlling behaviour in a couple relationship. If a conflict occurs, violence can find expression as a spontaneous or situational means in the dispute without putting the other person in an inferior position. If one couple member repeatedly becomes violent, threatens violence, and intimidates the other person so that the latter is systematically placed in an inferior position, this is systematic violence and control behaviour (cf. Gloor, D., & Meier, H. (2003). Gewaltbetroffene Männer–wissenschaftliche und gesellschaftlich-politische Einblicke in eine Debatte. Die Praxis des Familienrechts, 3, 526-547.). Intimate partner violence is one of the most common forms of violence against women and occurs in all settings and among all socioeconomic, religious, and cultural groups.
Although women can be violent in relationships with men, often in self-defence, and violence sometimes occurs in same-sex partnerships, the most common perpetrators of violence against women are male intimate partners or ex-partners. By contrast, men are far more likely to experience violent acts by strangers or acquaintances than by someone close to them.
Types of violence within the context of domestic violence
Domestic violence can take many forms and is often not recognised as such by the victim.
‘At the time I felt that it was not really abuse but the longer I thought about it the more I felt that it was abuse. Emotional abuse is more severe than physical abuse as there are no outward marks or bruises. When this was realised by myself, I got out. Living alone is far better than what was happening in the relationship.’
Physical violence
Physical violence describes any use of physical force or threat to use physical force which compels the victim to do or to abandon something, to suffer, to restrict or to move her/him. It causes pain, fear or humiliation, regardless whether an actual injury was caused.
Physical injuries may range from minor trauma, which may or may not be visible, to broken bones and lacerations, head injuries and injuries to internal organs. Some victims are threatened with weapons, such as knives, or household items such as a hot iron, cigarettes, or a length of rubber hose. Physical abuse can take many forms such as smashing property or killing or hurting family pets.
Strangulation is a common and serious form of domestic violence. Recognising the subtleties of presentation remains imperative as strangulation is a strong predictor for future severe domestic violence and subsequent homicide.
Although many victims of domestic violence experience physical abuse, most victims say that the constant fear of the next episode is as bad as the actual violence.
Examples
- Locking them in the house or stopping them from leaving
- Restraining, pushing, slapping, hitting, shaking (infants), kicking, strangling, or burning
- Drugging the victim with prescription, pharmaceutical, or illegal drugs
- Breaking possessions or punching/kicking walls
- Neglecting
Sexual violence
Sexual violence is the conduct of sexual content that the victim does not consent to, is coerced into, or, because of their level of development, does not understand their meaning. It includes the threat of sexual violence and the public disclosure of sexual content about the victim.
Sexual violence is any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, self-satisfaction against the intimate partner’s or someone else’s will, or any other act directed against a person’s sexuality using coercion, by any person regardless of their relationship to the victim, in any setting. It includes any form of rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse, everyday harassment, and any organised form of sexualised violence. It includes every action that restricts the sexual self-determination of a person. Sexual violence can be a form of domestic violence as the perpetrator might be an intimate partner or a family member.
The criminal legal systems of different countries define rape in a varying manner. The Istanbul Convention (and other international legal developments) suggests defining rape with the lack of consent of the victim, not the added violence or threat of it.
Examples
- Pressuring them to have sex or do sexual acts when they don’t want to
- Pressuring, forcing, or tricking them into having unsafe sex
- Making them have sex or do sexual acts with other people
- Sexual assault (rape)
- Voyeurism
- Practicing sexual acts or acts with sexual significance against the intimate partner’s or someone else’s will (unwanted caress, touching)
- Sexual harassment
- Not disclosing their HIV-positive status, saying they are HIV-negative, and having unprotected sex
- Taking explicit pictures or videos without consent
- Forcing the victim to watch pornographic material
- Forcing the victim to abort a pregnancy
- Hindering or forcing the victim to use contraception
- Making insinuating comments about the victim or others in the presence of the victim
Psychological violence
Psychological violence is the conduct and dissemination of information by which the perpetrator of violence causes fear, humiliation, feelings of inferiority, danger, and other psychological distress in the victim, even when committed by using information and communication technology.
Psychological violence may include subtle or overt verbal abuse, humiliation, threats, or any behaviour aimed at scaring or terrorising the person experiencing the abuse. The victims may lose their confidence, self-esteem, or self-determination. It can take many forms including threats of suicide, extreme jealousy and stalking or harassment at work or using digital technology, and isolating the victim from family, friends and other contacts in the community. Psychological violence often has long-term consequences that can be even worse than physical injuries.
Examples
- Stalking
- Intimidation, threats, and coercion
- Isolation or confinement
- Undermining the relationship between the partner and their children
- Threatening to self-harm or commit suicide
- Controlling behaviours
- Withholding information
- Disinformation
- Publicizing or threatening to publicise private information
- Manipulation
- Gas lighting: putting the victim’s reality, perceptions, or memory into question
- Stopping the partner from visiting their friends or family
- Threatening to hurt or hurting pets
- Threatening to harm family members or children
- Threatening to spread rumours about the victim
- Threatening to publicly disclose intimate or other materials potential to harm the reputation of a victim
Verbal Violence is part of Psychological Violence.
Everything said by the perpetrator to or about the victim in order to harm him or her.
Examples
- Putting the victim down, e.g., telling them that they are ugly, stupid, worthless, or incompetent
- Ridiculing
- Insulting
- The use of swear/curse-words or name-calling
- Humiliating them in front of friends, family or in public
- Intimidating and threatening other forms of violence against the victim or against somebody or something dear to them
- Threatening to hurt or hurting pets
- Threatening to harm family members or children
Coercive control
Psychological violence also includes the so-called ‘coercive control’ which constitutes a pattern of the following behaviours (definition from Home Office, 2015).
‘Controlling behaviour is a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape, and regulating their everyday behaviour.
Coercive behaviour is a continuing act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten the victim.’
Isolating victims from support and medical services; monitoring, controlling, depriving, and restricting the victim’s everyday behaviour, activities and who they communicate with.
Economic violence
Economic violence is the unjustified control or restriction of a victim by disposing of income or property with which the victim independently disposes or manages or unjustifiably restricting the disposition or management of joint property of family members, unjustified failure to fulfil financial or property obligations to a family member or unjustified shifting financial or property liabilities to a family member.
Socio-economic violence includes restricting access to money and essential needs, fraudulently using another’s money for personal gain, or stealing from the victim; the illegal taking, misuse, or concealment of funds, property, or assets.
Examples
- Taking the victim’s money, controlling their income, or accessing the victim’s accounts without consent
- Making and controlling all the decisions about joint money and assets
- Refusing to give them money or making them account for everything they spend
- Threatening to withdraw financial support as a means of control
- Preventing the victim from working so they become financially vulnerable or reliant on the perpetrator
- Manipulating and coercing the victim to sign financial contracts with third parties
- Making the victim responsible for all the joint bills and debts, or making the victim responsible for the perpetrator’s debts
- Impersonating or posing as the victim to access their accounts or to sign up for credit or debts
Neglect
Neglect is a form of violence where the perpetrator abandons the due care of the victim, which is needed due to illness, disability, age, developmental or other personal circumstances.
Examples
Not providing the necessary attention, protection, and care, or not providing it to a sufficient extent:
- nutrition
- hydration
- clothing (e.g., not appropriate for the weather)
- personal hygiene (e.g., unkempt appearance)
- medical care/treatment
- emotional care
- care (e.g., irregular attendance at school)
- protection from danger
Stalking
Stalking is a wilful repeated unwanted contact, pursuit, physical intrusion, observation, restraint in places where the victim moves or other form of unwanted intrusion into the victim’s life. It can include:
- following their partner when they go out, to work, or home
- constantly watching them, their house or workplace
- monitoring their behaviour online
- calling, texting, or emailing them, their family, friends, or work colleagues more often than is appropriate or when asked not to
Online violence
Online violence is any behaviour involving the use of the internet by one partner to harm, harass or humiliate the other. It may occur through social media, email, online forums, blogs or other interactive websites or apps. It can include:
- sending mean or threatening messages directly to their partner or posting them publicly
- spreading rumours or encouraging others to harass them
- publicly disclosing their private information (e.g., home address, workplace, telephone number, banking details, or other personal information)
- impersonating or posing as them while interacting online
- creating fake profiles to gain access to their partner’s profile to monitor, stalk or harass them
- posting pictures of them without their consent
- stalking, following, or monitoring their movements online
- installing tracking devices or apps on phones, computers, or tablets
Special forms of violence
The following special forms of domestic violence are distinct forms of crime in some countries. When family members are involved, different types of crime are related to domestic violence.
Child, early and forced marriage
Child marriage is when at least one of the parties is a child (below the age of 18, as defined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, or below the age of 16, depending on country-specific regulation).
Early marriages involve a person aged below 18 or marriages where both spouses are 18 or older but other factors make them unready to consent to marriage, e.g., their level of physical, emotional, sexual, and psychosocial development.
Forced marriage is any marriage which occurs without the full and free consent of one or both of the parties, where one or both of the parties is/are unable to end or leave the marriage, or as a result of duress or intense social or family pressure.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
What is FGM?
FGM happens in a context of traditional norms and beliefs and also exists in Europe. Justifications provided for this practice range from abiding by tradition, to the preservation of virginity, social pressure, reasons of hygiene, the control of women’s sexuality and as a pre-requisite for marriage. It intentionally alters or injures the female external genitalia for non-medical reasons and is performed against the will of the woman or girl. It takes away control over their bodies, their sexuality, and their right to have basic bodily functions free from infections and pain. Thus, FGM is a manifestation of gender-based inequality and discrimination and violates human rights.
Are some types of FGM less harmful than others?
FGM has no health benefits. Undergoing the practice can cause both immediate and long-term physical consequences, including excessive bleeding, acute pain, injury to surrounding tissue, and chronic vaginal and pelvic infections, leading to infertility and the inability to urinate. The procedure can also cause complications in childbirth and an increased risk of new-born death. In addition, women and girls who have undergone FGM often show signs of psychological trauma, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and other mood disorders, which can affect their mental health well into adulthood. The practice of FGM can never be considered safe under any conditions. 1 in 4 girls who have undergone the practice have done so at the hands of a medical practitioner. However, increasing numbers of health-care professionals are performing more serious types of FGM.
Is FGM a religious practice?
There are no religions which make FGM a compulsory practice. Neither Islam nor Christianity endorses FGM. It is linked to traditions and customs based on family history, country and/or ethnicity of origin. However, many girls and women view the practice as a religious requirement. Over 40 million girls and women in Africa have experienced FGM prior to child-, early and forced marriage. In some instances, the two practices are linked, for example when a girl’s marriageability depends on whether she has been cut, or when FGM is performed as a precursor to marriage. However, each practice also has its own drivers. Child-, early and forced marriage is more closely associated with poverty, whereas FGM is closely associated with group identity and as a representation of shared values.
Is FGM a problem in Europe?
More than 200 million girls and women have undergone FGM globally. Nearly 140 million girls and women in Africa have undergone FGM. Many believe that FGM only happens in Africa or the Middle East, but it is a worldwide issue, which exists in Europe too. Evidence suggests that FGM is practices in at least 90 countries worldwide. It is estimated that 190,000 girls and women in 17 European countries are at risk of being mutilated and that over 600,000 women in Europe are living with the consequences of FGM. Most girls undergo the practice before the age of 15 years. Groups of women who are at higher risk of undergoing FGM include refugee and migrant women and girls, asylum-seekers and internally displaced women and girls. A girl is approximately one third less likely to have undergone the practice now compared with three decades ago, but the decline in prevalence is not uniform across all countries and is not happening fast enough to achieve zero new cases by 2030 (Target 5.3 of the Sustainable Development Goal 5, United Nations).
In 2021, the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) released estimations of the number of girls at risk of undergoing FMG in four countries in the European Union. When compared with data from 2011, three countries, namely Austria, Denmark, and Spain, showed an overall decrease in the number of girls between 15 and 19 years of age at risk of being subjected to the practice. In Luxembourg, however, there was an increase in the number of girls from the same age group who were considered to be at risk of undergoing FGM (from 161 in 2011 to 822 in 2019), which, according to the study, was due to an increase in the number of migrant girls from practising countries, such as Egypt, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau and Somalia, now living in Luxembourg. The results of the EIGE study indicated that the prevalence of FGM in countries of origin or communities drove the risk of a girl being subjected to the practice in a host country and that the risk rose whenever an unmarried girl returned to her country of origin.
Has the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the risk of FGM?
Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the ability to travel for FGM practices, it has not stopped the practice from being performed in secrecy. It has increased the vulnerability of girls and women, including those at risk of FGM, and has exacerbated existing gender inequalities, economic disparities and health risks and disrupted prevention efforts. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it more difficult for women and girls to access psychological support and medical care if needed.
In general, humanitarian and emergency settings such as conflict and climate change increase women’s and girls’ vulnerability to violence, including harmful practices such as FGM. Over half of the countries where girls are at the highest risk of undergoing FGM are experiencing humanitarian emergencies, including conflict.
What is the EU doing to tackle the problem of FGM in the EU?
Ending all forms of violence against women and girls – including FGM – is a key aim of the EU’s equality policies. The EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025 includes actions to work towards this goal. The EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child, covering both internal and external dimension, contains concrete recommendations and actions on how to effectively prevent and put an end to violence against children, including FGM, and ensuring integrated child protection. The EU continues to provide funding for projects from NGOs aiming to combat violence against women and girls.
What are EU member states encouraged to do to eliminate all harmful practices?
Pursuant to UN General Assembly resolution 75/160 on intensifying global efforts for the elimination of FGM, in the present report (A/77/312) the UN Secretary-General provides an analysis of progress made to date by Member States, the United Nations system, and other relevant stakeholders and proposes recommendations for future actions:
- Accelerate action to identify evidence-based policy, programming and advocacy measures aimed at eliminating FGM, taking into consideration current challenges, e.g., rapid population growth among young girls, especially in high-prevalence countries.
- Adopt and continue to implement comprehensive, evidence-based prevention strategies that have shown promise in reducing the number of girls undergoing FGM, including: health education and community dialogues with, inter alia, parents and traditional and religious leaders; advocacy and awareness-raising with a range of key stakeholders, especially communities, men and boys and the media; and investment in the education of girls and their mothers, to help change existing norms, attitudes and behaviours that condone and justify gender inequality, violence against women and girls and FGM.
- Adopt a comprehensive, coordinated, and multidisciplinary approach to eliminating FGM, which includes adopting or amending legislation criminalising the practice and providing appropriate and specialised trauma-informed and survivor-centred support services for women and girls. In this context, States are urged to ensure participation of all relevant sectors of government, including the health, social services, child protection, justice and policing and education sectors and work closely with civil society and women’s rights organizations, as well as United Nations entities.
- Intensify efforts to reduce the number of incidents of cross-border and ‘internal cross-border’ FGM, which includes advocating legislation that is enacted and implemented. States are also encouraged to strengthen transnational police and judicial cooperation in the exchange of information on victims and perpetrators of FGM.
- Build synergies between initiatives aimed at eliminating FGM and other forms of violence against women and girls, such as child, early and forced marriage, and those aimed at achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. In order for actions to be effective, efforts aimed at eliminating FGM and violence against women and girls must be integrated into broader national action plans, cross-sector policies and programmes on gender equality.
- Ensure that FGM programming is mainstreamed in humanitarian and emergency preparedness and response plans. States should integrate FGM into coordination mechanisms as part of the continuum of essential and specialized services for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. States are encouraged to consider the nuanced differences of populations in humanitarian and other crisis settings, particularly high-risk populations who face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, including refugee and migrant women and girls, asylum-seekers and internally displaced women and girls.
- Improve national and subnational data collection on FGM, using standardized methods that allow for the comparability of data across countries, especially in humanitarian and other crisis settings, including at health-care facilities, and in countries where FGM reportedly exists but where national data are currently insufficient or unavailable.
- Increase financial and human resources for programmes aimed at eliminating FGM, including by engaging donors and stakeholders who traditionally do not invest in FGM programming, particularly within the humanitarian sphere.
Factsheets:
European Commission’s myth busting FGM factsheet (2022)
Sources:
FGM study: More girls at risk but community opposition growing (2021)
Trafficking in persons
Trafficking in persons is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of persons by means:
- of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion
- of abduction
- of fraud
- of deception
- of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability
- of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.
Exploitation includes, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.
Sexual exploitation/forced prostitution
The term ‘sexual exploitation’ means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially, or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. Some types of ‘forced prostitution’ can also fall under this category.
Crimes committed in the name of honour
Honour-related violence (also HRV, honour violence, honour-based violence) describes any form of physical (battery, rape, murder, FGM), psychological (mental pressure, threatening, deprivation of personal liberty) or other forms of violence (e.g., restricted movement, restricted circle of friends, coercive control, forced marriage, human trafficking) that is carried out within the family or the community in the name of ‘family honour’.
Honour-related violence is related to situations where a person is not following social, sexual, or familial roles and expectations given by a traditional ideology, or is suspected of having broken the chastity values of a community. The conflict is not only tied to someone’s behaviour but also on rumours or gossip. Honour-related violence is not restricted to certain countries, ethnic groups or religions but occurs within different kinds of communities.
Honour-related violence is often seen as a violence against women and girls. It is important to note that also men, boys and persons identifying themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or transsexual may experience honour related violence and psychological pressure.
If the victim does not recognise violence as wrong or harmful to her/himself, it may be challenging to intervene in the situation. Even if the characteristics of the crime are not met, it is important to address the situation with a low threshold, as all the forms of honour-related violence are harmful.
It is important to bear in mind that honour-related violence is collective violence. Although an individual community member would not approve of the community norms, it may be extremely hard for her/him to challenge them.
Intervening in honour-related violence may be difficult, but not impossible. Victim’s safety should always come first, and victims should be referred to appropriate services. With the consent of the victim, the authorities should – together with HRV-specialised NGOs – build trust between the victim’s family and the authorities and engage the family in a dialogue. With the help of HRV-specialised NGOs and e.g., religious repository it may be possible to resolve a conflict and help the family to engage in a constructive and non-violent way of action. This is an important aim since for a victim it may be an unthinkable idea to abandon his or her family and community and start a new life alone; it is more probable that the victim will return to the family at some point.
Elderly abuse/maltreatment
Elderly persons are in a vulnerable situation regarding domestic violence. Research has identified risk factors that make older people more vulnerable to elder abuse. These risk factors are aged greater than 80, gender being female, monetary challenges, poor health, cognitive impairment, mobility difficulties, depressive symptoms and a poor social network. Elder abuse includes physical, psychological, or sexual violence inflicted upon an older adult, their financial exploitation, neglect of their treatment or welfare, or abandonment by people who are directly responsible for their care.
- Physical violence may include e.g., infliction of pain or injury, physical coercion, hitting, slapping, pushing, spitting, misuse of medication or inappropriate sanctions.
- Psychological violence may include e.g., emotional or verbal abuse, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, intimidation, coercion or withdrawal from supportive networks.
- Financial exploitation may include e.g., illegal or improper exploitation or use of funds or resources by theft, fraud, coercion, pressure in connection with wills, financial transaction, or misuse of power of attorney.
- Neglect or abandonment may include intentional or unintentional refusal or failure to fulfil a caretaking obligation, e.g., ignoring medical or physical care needs, failure to provide access to services, withholding medication, adequate nutrition or heating, or failure to provide appropriate equipment.
Perpetrators include children, other family members, and spouses as well as staff e.g., at nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Family members caring for an older adult with significant care needs may experience burn-out and stress. Without support, the carer may be unable to adequately manage their responsibilities and become overwhelmed, frustrated, and abusive. In many instances a caregiver may be unaware that his/her behaviour is considered abusive. An adult child who is abusive toward a parent is often financially dependent on the elder. Unemployment rates are higher among abusive adult children, and they may experience substance abuse or mental health issues.
Often, elderly people may be afraid of reporting domestic violence to avoid being subjected to more abuse. As elder parents get older, they also become increasingly dependent on their adult children. In addition, as parents become older, their willingness and capability to escape from abusive relationships lowers.
Signs to detect elderly abuse:
- physical injuries, bruises, broken bones
- malnourishment, weight loss, dehydration
- lack of basic hygiene, wet diapers
- anxiety, depression, confusion
- unexplained transactions, loss of money, unexplained debt, no money to buy medication
- unexplained sexually transmitted disease
- missing medical aids like walkers, dentures
- bedsores, pressure ulcers
- elderly person is kept from talking to visitors
- caregiver speaks about the elder as if she/he was a burden
Remember: elderly victims of domestic violence may be reluctant to disclose abuse. They may be ashamed or embarrassed or they want to help and protect their abusive child. They may blame themselves for their child’s abusive behaviour. Reporting domestic violence to the police may cause them to lose the most significant relationship in their lives.
Sources
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/abuse/elder-abuse-and-neglect.htm
http://criminal-justice.iresearchnet.com/crime/domestic-violence/elder-abuse-by-adult-children/
https://www.nursinghomeabusecenter.com/elder-abuse/signs/
http://www.combatingelderabuse.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Booklet_stage.pdf
Anetzberger, G.J., (2000) Caregiving: Primary Cause of Elder Abuse? Generations, 24 (2): 46–51
Dong XQ and Simon MA (2014) Vulnerability Risk Index Profile for Elder Abuse in Community-Dwelling PopulationJ Am Geriatr Soc. 2014 Jan; 62(1): 10–15
Laakso, S., (2015). Ikäihmisten kaltoinkohtelu Suvanto-linjan puheludokumenteissa. University of Helsinki, Faculty of Social Sciences. Dissertation.
Uuttu-Riski, Ritva, (2004). Vanhusten kaltoinkohtelu – tiedotusvälineissä käyty keskustelu. Teoksessa Kankare, Harri & Lintula, Hanna (toim.) Vanhuksen äänen kuuleminen. Helsinki: Tammi.
Icon made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com