Domestic violence victimisation in older men

Abstract

Despite the growing literature that focuses on male victimisation of domestic, intimate partner and interpersonal violence, there is still a lack of knowledge of domestic violence victimisation in older men and among older adults more generally. Adults over 60 will sustain abuse for twice as long before seeking help and are more likely to experience abuse from adult family members or intimate partners than those who are younger (Safelives, 2016). Over the past two decades there has been a growing academic interest in older female victims, however older male victims have received very little attention. Yet, crime statistics from the UK demonstrate all domestic violence crimes captured together, including non-intimate partner violence, the proportion of violence against the person was 28.1% for men and 38.9% for women, both over 75 years of age (ONS, 2019a). The statistics remain high for older men notwithstanding being an under reported and under researched area. This chapter will explore the tensions between domestic violence and elder abuse and outline the dynamics of abuse in later life. A critical review of male victimisation and female perpetration will be presented with focus on interpersonal violence including a review of global research on older male domestic violence victimisation. Furthermore, barriers to reporting and help-seeking and service implications will be discussed. The chapter will conclude with recommendations for future research policy and practice.