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Archives > Summer 2000 articles
by M.J. (Greta) Smith & Jill Hightower
Many people believe that violence against women in intimate
relationships is a problem experienced only by younger women,
and that violent behaviour ceases as women grow older.But
the experience of older women who have sought refuge from
violence contradicts this premise. Transition houses have
seen first hand the wide range of ages of women traumatized
by violence-from teenage years to the nineties-all needing
shelter and support. Violence spares no age group, but the
services required differ dramatically across the lifespan.
In the Spring of 1999, The BC/Yukon Society
of Transition Houses initiated a needs assessment project
to explore solutions to providing shelter and support that
addressed the needs of abused older women. In Phase One of
the project, we surveyed transition houses and safe homes
to determine what services were provided to older women and
what was required to support them in providing this service.
The results of the survey clearly identified
that women over 60 years of age represented a very small fraction
(generally less than 2%) of the women accessing transition
houses and safe homes. As well, women in the 50 to 59 years
of age category were also substantially under-represented.
Of the responding shelters, only 4% had specialized services
to meet the needs of this age group of abused women.
First and foremost, it should be pointed
out that transition houses and safe homes are available to
all women and their children regardless of age, religion or
ethnic background. But the reality of day to day life is that
transition houses on the whole are often not a comfortable
place for older women to be.
The physical structures of some of the houses
frequently do not meet the needs of older women; for example,
many are constructed with upstairs bedrooms and offer no private
or quiet rooms for private respite. The social structure of
the setting may also contribute to decreased comfort for the
older woman. Living in a communal situation with children
who are often in stressed, hyperactive behaviour patterns,
can be very wearying for women in a sixty-plus age group.
Often, staff, who through lack of training in the ageing process
and/or time, are unable to provide the extra attention and
support some women require in their daily living.
The completion of the Phase One survey led
to the second phase of the needs assessment process. In Phase
Two, we organized a series of focus groups which brought together
individuals from the community to share their insights. Participants
in the focus groups were asked to discuss what they saw as
the needs and service gaps for older women experiencing violence.
Focus group settings began by identifying
the major issues and concerns that an older woman has to face
if she is trying to leave an abusive situation. Several participants
noted that leaving home and treasured possessions, including
pets, is not viewed as an option for some women. For others,
lack of support from adult children who may feel that mom
has put up with this for many years so she should just "stick
it out" is also a hindrance impacting her inability to
leave.
Financial abuse may also be a factor preventing
the woman from fleeing an abusive environment. This is often
the case when the abuse is perpetrated by an adult child upon
whom the woman may be dependent. As with many younger women,
financial security is critical. If a woman has never worked,
she may not have any financial resources of her own.If she
is under sixty-five, her problems may be compounded in that
she is not eligible for any pension monies and is often considered
too old for paid employment. Of particular concern are older
immigrant women who often speak little or no English and have
no financial resources at all. If they were brought to Canada
in their later years by their children, they have no access
to the Canada Pension Plan, for example.
When asked the question as to where older
women go for help, the consensus of the participants was that
they often don't look or ask for help. Many older women view
transition house/safe homes as shelters for younger women.
Like younger women they may feel embarrassment, shame or fear
of retaliation should they choose to leave. The participants
agreed that, in many cases, others are more like to detect
abuse before the abused woman makes her circumstances known
to potential helpers. A peer counsellor in our group noted
that neighbours and friends are often aware of abuse occurring,
but may or may not act to intervene. Other participants noted
that while younger women may be asked on visits to emergency
rooms or health professionals if they are being abused, older
women often are not. It was suggested that unless there is
strong physical evidence, health care professionals don't
intervene. In general, police were not considered helpful
as it was felt that they "buy into" ageist stereotypes.
Reaching out, breaking both geographic and
social isolation and providing readily available information
on services in the community were cited as key steps to be
taken in helping older abused women. Although isolation may
occur in both rural and urban settings, of particular concern
was the geographic isolation of women in communities outside
the Lower Mainland, where social services are less readily
available. Older women immigrants' needs were considered critical.
It was agreed that transition houses were
in many instances the most appropriate options for emergency
shelter. Providing information, support and referrals in the
safe, supportive environment of the house gives a woman opportunity
to reflect on her options. A further advantage of transition
house living is acquiring the support that being with other
women who have experienced similar experiences can offer.
In some cases, physical improvements to transition houses
would be necessary to make them more accessible to older women.
A quiet room, and the availability of a disability suite would
provide older women with additional support. Transition houses,
along with other safe homes, need to be assessed with the
view of implementing these improvements in mind. Additional
training for transition house staff on the ageing process
and how to help older women in crisis is also crucial.
Overall, we reached consensus that while
the availability of alternate housing was important, outreach
services that included counselling by empathic, well-informed,
non-bureaucratic people is critical. Public education was
deemed an important factor as the media continues to portray
violence against women as a young woman's issue. Finally,
it was agreed that the individual's right to autonomy and
confidentiality must be respected.
The results from our consultations with these
groups support the view that abuse of women continues into
their older years. While for some it is a continuation of
life-long abuse, for others it may be a new development, experienced
at the hands of a new partner or adult child.It is an issue
that merits and will receive the continued attention of the
staff at the B.C./Yukon Society of Transition Houses. In addition,
focus groups will be held outside the Lower Mainland in the
near future with a wide variety of older women, which we hope
will eventuate in changes in both policy and practice.
Details regarding the early phases of this
ongoing project may be found in: Hightower J., Smith M.J.,
Ward-Hall C.A., & Hightower H.C. Meeting the Needs of
Abused Older Women? A British Columbia and Yukon Transition
House Survey. Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect Vol.11(4),
99.
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