At the beginning of last year’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the ONS published the first data on victims of domestic abuse of all ages, having removed the upper age limit of 74 years. Sadly, this data showed that 1 in 30 people aged 60 to 74 and approximately 1 in 50 people aged 75+ have been subjected to domestic abuse in the previous year. We know with limited data this is likely to be an underrepresentation of the actual scale of the problem. 

At Age UK, year on year, we are hearing from increasing numbers of older people telling us they are being subjected to domestic abuse. 

Like younger people, for older people this may be physical, sexual, emotional, or economic, or a combination of all.  Those who harm, will use a range of behaviours to exert power and control. But there are also some important age-related differences that specifically affect victim-survivors as they age.

For example, older people are just as likely to be abused by an adult child or grandchild as they are a spouse or partner. Many older people subjected to abuse have a health condition or disability, which may mean they rely on the person harming them,  for care and support.

Older people may face several barriers to seeking and accessing support. This can be due to a range of factors, including a lack of awareness among health and social care professionals. Tools used by professionals to assess risk of domestic abuse are often aimed at younger women and intimate partner abuse, and don’t consider the specific risk factors affecting older people and adult-child to parent abuse. 

Older people with disabilities, or those from LGBTQ+ and ethnic minority backgrounds, may face further barriers due to a lack of appropriate services, community barriers, discrimination, or a reliance on carers. And the cost of living crisis may leave older people more isolated and make it more difficult to leave where they share a home, with the person harming them. 

Older mothers specifically may have internalised victim blaming language, feeling a sense of shame, wishing to protect their family members. 

Age UK signposts to a range of specialist domestic abuse services including PEGS on their dedicated Age UK Domestic Abuse Page  

Age UK has also joined Employers Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA), a network of employers committed to supporting their employees who are or have been subjected to domestic abuse. At Age UK we have created a culture where employees are able to access domestic abuse awareness training, specialist information, and use their work equipment to empower them to find support safely. If our employees have increased awareness for themselves and each other, this will enable them to recognise the signs and support the older people Age UK is here for.

Our safeguarding team’s domestic abuse lead speaks at conferences and events, amplifying the voices of older victim-survivors of domestic abuse, ensuring that child to parent abuse is included in the conversation. 

This work educates professionals who work with older people to recognise the subtle signs that an older person may be subjected to domestic abuse, and empowers them to confidently reach in and ask appropriate, sensitive questions.

Carrie Bower - Domestic Abuse Lead