Mira Koivusilta | Nordic Congress on Gerontology | Reykjavik | 2 June TÄHÄN KUVA

ABUSE AND VIOLENCE AGAINST OLDER WOMEN: PREVALENCE AND QUALITY OF LIFE Luoma Minna-Liisa, De Donder Liesbeth, Lang Gert,Tamutiene Ilona, Ferreira Alves José, Perttu Sirkka, Penhale Bridget 20/09/2015 2

Prevalence study of Abuse and Violence against Older Women AVOW Research project that aimed to –conduct prevalence research on violence against older women in the home setting, –demonstrate patterns of violence and, –develop a tool for harmonized and comparable surveying. 20/09/2015 3Minna-Liisa Luoma | IFA May 2012

Prevalence study of Abuse and Violence against Older Women AVOW Partners: –National Institute for Health and Welfare (Finland) (coordinator) –Research Institute of the Red Cross (Austria) –Vrije Universiteit Brussels (Belgium) –Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania) –University of Minho (Portugal) Daphne III programme funding (EU) 2 years: April 2009 to April /09/2015 4Minna-Liisa Luoma | IFA May 2012

Research questions 1.What is the prevalence rate of domestic violence and abuse against older women? 2.Are there patterns of violence and abuse against older women? 3.Who are the perpetrators? 4.Which older women are at higher risk for violence and abuse? Which risk factors are most important in explaining the occurrence of elder abuse? 5.What are the individual consequences on quality of life Minna-Liisa Luoma | IFA May 2012

Types of elder abuse –Physical –Psychological –Sexual –Financial –Neglect –Violation of personal rights

Methodology Questionnaire –Standard questions + national questions –QOL The EUROHIS QOL –Scale Sample –Older women, living at home –Aged between 60 and 97 –Data gathered in 2010 Statistical methods –T-test was used to measure differences on quality of life between abused and non abused elderly.

Number of respondentsData collection Austria593Telephone Belgium436 Postal + additional face to face (75+) Finland687Postal Lithuania515Face to face Portugal649Postal Total2880/ Methodology

% Austria23.8 Belgium32.0 Finland24.7 Lithuania21.8 Portugal39.4 Total28.1 Results: Overall abuse

Results: Types of abuse

Perpetrators In most cases, perpetrators of emotional abuse, financial abuse, sexual abuse and violation of rights were the women’s partners or spouses. The exception to this was in relation to neglect, where in most cases older women were abused by their adult children or children-in-law. 20/09/ Minna-Liisa Luoma | IFA May 2012

Intensity of violence 7.6% of older women had experienced one single form of abuse, but infrequently. 13.5% had experienced several forms of abuse, but infrequently. 1.2% had experienced one single form of abuse very often. 5.8% had experienced multiple forms of abuse very often. 20/09/ Minna-Liisa Luoma | IFA May 2012

Results: Quality of life Subjective assessment by using The EUROHIS QOL –Subjective health –Ability to perform “daily living activities” –Satisfaction about themselves –Financial situation –Social relationships –Condition of living space Minna-Liisa Luoma | IFA May 2012

Quality of Life and Types of Abuse 14 NeglectEmotional abuse Financial abuse Physical abuse Sexual abuse Violation of right Overall abuse No 3.74 (0.67)*3.80 (0.68)*3.72 (0.68)* 3.72 (0.69)*3.73 (0.68)*3.80 (0.67)* Yes 3.00 (0.67)*3.50 (0.61)*3.00 (0.78)* 3.30 (0.81)*3.27 (0.74)*3.49 (0.70)* Finnish population based reference value 3,90 (0,25) Minna-Liisa Luoma | IFA May 2012

After abuse Most common effects of violence and abuse were tension, anger, hatred and feelings of powerlessness. Nearly half of the abused women (44.7%) talked about the most serious incident with somebody they knew or reported it to an official agency. In Portugal and Lithuania, however, only a quarter of the abused women talked about the incident with anyone else. The majority of older women talked with nobody about the abusive incidents. Mostly women thought the incident was too trivial or that nobody could do anything about it. 20/09/ Minna-Liisa Luoma | IFA May 2012

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Lessons learned Policy: Development of guidelines, risk mapping tools and screening instruments can facilitate coordinate action against the abuse of older women and should be initiated on EU level. Practice: raise awareness about elder abuse: prevalence rates are high and more than half of the mistreated women do not report or talk about the incident. Adequate assessment tools and routine inquiry about violence and abuse are needed. Increase disclosure and detection: Information about existing interventions for abuse, the services offered and about the rights of older victims should be made widely available. 20/09/ Minna-Liisa Luoma | IFA May 2012

Lessons learned… II Improve the efficiency of the interventions: The multifaceted nature of abuse must be considered in the development of case management approaches. Importance of tackling partner violence in later life should be highlighted. Older adults should be included in the development of appropriate responses to abuse. 20/09/ Minna-Liisa Luoma | IFA May 2012

For more information Methods: literature reviews mapping the existing research and both postal surveys and personal-visit interviews. The study was funded by EU’s Daphne III programme. 20/09/ Minna-Liisa Luoma | IFA May 2012

20 Thank you!