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Domestic violence against elderly with disability
Sofia Lalanda Frazão1, Marília Santos Silva2, Pedro Norton3
1Department of Forensic and Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, Portugal; North Branch of the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences of Portugal, Porto, Portugal; Abel Salazar Biomedical Science Institute, Porto, Portugal; Forensic Science Center - CENCIFOR, Portugal.
Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
|December 3, 2014
Summary
Elder abuse, particularly physical abuse against disabled elders, is frequently undetected. Elderly females with motor disabilities face the highest risk of domestic violence, often resulting in multiple head and neck injuries.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Medicine
- Gerontology
- Public Health
Background:
- Elder abuse, especially against individuals with disabilities, is a significant and growing concern.
- Health professionals often fail to detect or report these cases due to diagnostic challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze demographic and forensic characteristics of domestic violence cases against elders with disabilities.
- To improve the detection and prevention of elder abuse.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 70 alleged domestic violence cases against elders with moderate to severe disabilities.
- Cases were presented for medical forensic examination in Porto, Portugal (2005-2013).
Main Results:
- Physical abuse was the most common type (86%), perpetrated by male family members (children/partners) living with the victims.
- Victims were predominantly female (63%) with motor disabilities (49%) and a history of prior abuse (74%), though rarely reported.
- Injuries were often multiple (64%), primarily affecting the head and neck (75%), with minor severity in most cases (95%).
Conclusions:
- Elderly females with motor disabilities are at elevated risk for domestic violence.
- Domestic violence against disabled elders frequently results in multiple head and neck injuries.
- Improved detection and reporting mechanisms are crucial for addressing this public health issue.