[Prevalence and associated factors of intimate partner violence among elderly Mexican women]

Using information from the National Survey on Household Relationship Dynamics (Encuesta Nacional de la Dinámica de las Relaciones en los Hogares 2016), this study examines the prevalence and factors associated with emotional, physical, and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization among a representative sample of elderly Mexican women (n=7,410), using an ecological approach. Prevalence rates and related risk factors for IPV among younger women served as a basis for comparison and were contrasted with data from elderly female participants. Results show that 16.3% of women aged 64 and over had experienced some form of intimate partner violence during the previous year, with emotional violence as the most commonly occurring form. Furthermore, there was a significantly lower prevalence of emotional and sexual IPV among elderly women than among younger women. Some risk factors for IPV victimization were similar across both groups of women, mainly individuals' personal histories and immediate social context. On the other hand, differences were found regarding factors related to the broader social context. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed, specifically with regards to their usefulness in violence prevention and response programs.