The following resource is part of the Family Violence Initiative, funded by the RCMP. Find similar tools by searching for the FVIF tag or consult the list of available resources.
"This toolkit was created as part of the participatory project: ‘Bridging Aging and Women Abuse.’ This project's tools were developed by two working groups of women who had experienced abuse in later life and transformed these experiences into expertise. Consequently, the tools reflect the ‘lived expertise' of these women and their interactions with the service systems. (...)
This toolkit was developed to support a more coordinated and effective community response to older women abuse. Older women are one of the fastest growing population groups and as the baby boomer generation age, the number of older women experiencing abuse will likely increase. The most recent Family Violence in Canada profile indicates that older women are more likely to be victims of family violence than men and that this rate has been steadily increasing since 1998. Previous work by the project team, as well as other research and reports, indicate that older women experiencing abuse are often caught between service systems. For example, older women may not identify with elder abuse programs, which largely assume that abuse occurs in a caregiving context and typically do not address the gendered nature of abuse. Likewise, domestic violence services are often perceived to be for younger women with children and may not have age-appropriate supports in place. For some older women these gaps in support lead to homelessness and homeless shelters where neither aging nor abuse is well addressed.
Although promising practices are emerging in response to these gaps, few tools have direct input by older women who have experienced abuse and the gaps in service systems. Further, few tools provide resources for service providers and older women to use while working together. We have built on but not replicated existing resources. We acknowledge all the important work1 we drew upon but emphasize that THIS IS NOT ANOTHER MANUAL. It is an innovative and relevant compilation of ideas and tools that can be used to support an effective and empowering response to older women abuse.''
Source: National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly
