Neglect of Elderly Women in Feminist Studies of Violence–A Case of Ageism?

Abstract

ABSTRACTUsing Sweden as an example, this article describes and analyzes the late and reluctant appearance of a feminist perspective on elder abuse. The lack of interest in elderly women is related both to a youth and mid-life centrist tendency of feminism and to the need for clarity within the feminist perspective. We argue that the appearance of male victims and female offenders in cases of elder abuse threatens feminist models that relate violence to a general subordination of women in society. The feminist perspective that has recently emerged may therefore not only provide new and important understanding about elder abuse. Due to possible anomalies there is a risk that a feminist perspective on elder abuse creates a theoretical blindness, where male victims and female abusers are regarded as irrelevant exceptions to the problem.