Intimate Partner Abuse of Older Men: Considerations for the Assessment of Risk

Abstract

Intimate partner abuse among older persons, though less common than among the general population, is a significant concern. Drawing from the intimate partner abuse and elder abuse literatures, this paper presents considerations for the assessment of risk for intimate partner abuse perpetrated against older men, with reference to the prevalent gendered view of abuse between intimate partners. Potential victim and perpetrator risk factors specific to this context are discussed and existing risk assessment tools are introduced. Implications and future research directions are discussed with regard to the application of risk assessment technology to this context.

Corrélats de la violence entre conjoints et en milieu familial chez les Canadiens âgés : une approche fondée sur les parcours de vie

“…Nous avons aussi fait l'hypothèse que certains risques associés à la violence actuelle infligée par un conjoint s'appliquent indifféremment aux hommes et aux femmes ou sont plus courants chez les hommes (p. ex. le stress lié à la cohabitation de la personne soignante et de la victime, l'isolement social, l'abus d'alcool ou d'autres drogues par l'auteur des actes de violence, l'altéra-tion des fonctions mentales ou la déficience physique) 23 .…”

Intimate Partner Violence in Late Life

“…Because IPV studies have focused almost entirely on female victims, health outcomes for male victims are not well-understood (Reeves, Desmarais, Nicholls, & Douglas, 2007). Indeed, men were sampled in only one of the empirical studies focusing on health outcomes.…”

Screening and assessment of crime victimization and its effects

“…To date, the majority of screening in medical health settings, such as emergency departments, is for IPV, particularly among women, possibly due to preconceived notions of the typical victim. Given the fact that men (e.g., Rhodes et al, 2009) and older adults (e.g., Reeves, Desmarais, Nicholls, & Douglas, 2007) are at risk for IPV, it seems important to expand the use of screens to the larger population. Further recommendations regarding crime-related assessment measures in medical settings await future research.…”