Conjugal Violence Against Older Women: The Need for Integrated Approach Silvia Straka , CLSC René-Cassin/ISGQ, McGill University Lyse Montminy , Université de Montréal Guylaine Racine , Université de Montréal Esther Hockenstein , CLSC René-Cassin/ISGQ Sarita Israel , CLSC René-Cassin/ISGQ This presentation is funded by RESOVI

Agenda Conjugal violence and age Two intervention approaches Elder abuse “Conjugal violence” The need for an integrated approach

Conjugal violence and age

Two intervention approaches

Elder abuse

“Conjugal violence”

The need for an integrated approach

The Problem of Conjugal Violence conjugal violence is an important social problem in Quebec and Canada 1 in 4 Canadian women have experienced physical or sexual violence by a marital partner ½ of Canadian women have experienced at least 1 incident of physical or sexual violence since age 16

conjugal violence is an important social problem in Quebec and Canada

1 in 4 Canadian women have experienced physical or sexual violence by a marital partner

½ of Canadian women have experienced at least 1 incident of physical or sexual violence since age 16

Conjugal violence and age conjugal violence primarily viewed as a problem of younger women assumption that conjugal violence decreases with age, is no longer a problem for older couples based on research with faulty assumptions it is now known that conjugal violence does exist in old age

conjugal violence primarily viewed as a problem of younger women

assumption that conjugal violence decreases with age, is no longer a problem for older couples

based on research with faulty assumptions

it is now known that conjugal violence does exist in old age

Interventions: Differences Between the Needs of Older and Younger Women older abused women have much in common with younger abused women however, there are important differences older women’s needs are often different they have additional needs not often found in younger women many of younger women’s needs are not shared by older women

older abused women have much in common with younger abused women

however, there are important differences

older women’s needs are often different

they have additional needs not often found in younger women

many of younger women’s needs are not shared by older women

Current State of Knowledge About Conjugal Violence Against Older Women Question: are older women experiencing conjugal violence “abused elders” or “battered women”? the question arises because there are two approaches for intervening with this group: elder abuse “conjugal violence”

Question: are older women experiencing conjugal violence “abused elders” or “battered women”?

the question arises because there are two approaches for intervening with this group:

elder abuse

“conjugal violence”

Two Intervention Approaches the problem is situated within the intersection of these two approaches the elder abuse and conjugal violence approaches are said to be very distinct different paradigms different contexts of practice different discourses different intervention strategies

the problem is situated within the intersection of these two approaches

the elder abuse and conjugal violence approaches are said to be very distinct

different paradigms

different contexts of practice

different discourses

different intervention strategies

Conjugal Violence Approach identified by women themselves construction of the problem construction of solutions conjugal violence is caused by patriarchal social structures giving men more power than women grassroots, community-based approach feminist, empowerment paradigm

identified by women themselves

construction of the problem

construction of solutions

conjugal violence is caused by patriarchal social structures giving men more power than women

grassroots, community-based approach

feminist, empowerment paradigm

Conjugal Violence Approach Currently Inadequate for Older Women current conjugal violence approaches are not directly transferable to older women different socialization of older women: meaning of marriage and divorce greatly reduced social networks focus on needs of younger children is not applicable post-retirement women have different income issues: focus on employment not relevant many older women have health problems problems of accessibility to shelters, etc.

current conjugal violence approaches are not directly transferable to older women

different socialization of older women: meaning of marriage and divorce

greatly reduced social networks

focus on needs of younger children is not applicable

post-retirement women have different income issues: focus on employment not relevant

many older women have health problems

problems of accessibility to shelters, etc.

The Need for An Adapted Approach feminist model must be adapted to meet needs of older women analysis of the problem intervention strategies resources

feminist model must be adapted to meet needs of older women

analysis of the problem

intervention strategies

resources

Elder Abuse Approach elder abuse is a more recently known social problem than conjugal violence defined by service providers and health care professionals geriatric and gerontological services homecare departments hospitals little input from older adults situated in a caregiving paradigm

elder abuse is a more recently known social problem than conjugal violence

defined by service providers and health care professionals

geriatric and gerontological services

homecare departments

hospitals

little input from older adults

situated in a caregiving paradigm

The Need for a Specialized Elder Abuse Approach for Conjugal Violence elder abuse clientele have a specialized profile: frail and users of homecare or gerontological services resulting focus on caregiving issues key theory of elder abuse is caregiver stress dimension of gender has been ignored problem of conjugal violence is thus not a central focus and can be masked by caregiving focus

elder abuse clientele have a specialized profile:

frail and users of homecare or gerontological services

resulting focus on caregiving issues

key theory of elder abuse is caregiver stress

dimension of gender has been ignored

problem of conjugal violence is thus not a central focus and can be masked by caregiving focus

The Need to Integrate the Two Approaches the literature argues the need to integrate the two approaches to best serve older women but first we need to know more about: how the problem is viewed within each paradigm how each approach has constructed its practice cannot bridge the two approaches without first having an intra-discourse understanding

the literature argues the need to integrate the two approaches to best serve older women

but first we need to know more about:

how the problem is viewed within each paradigm

how each approach has constructed its practice

cannot bridge the two approaches without first having an intra-discourse understanding