RT Article
T1 Rethinking Lifetime Abuse in Old Age
JF Journal of interpersonal violence
VO 39
IS 19/20
SP 4020
OP 4040
A1 Band-Winterstein, Tova
A2 Shulyaev, Ksenya
A2 Eisikovits, Zvi 1947-
LA English
YR 2024
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1902412508
AB Research on abuse is often piecemeal and focused on specific forms, populations, and social situations. As a result, these studies tend to ignore the web of abuse resulting from the interactive effects of various forms of abuse over the life course, together referred to as “lifetime abuse.” An examination of abuse from the point of view of older adults is likely to provide a lifetime perspective based on linking child abuse to elder abuse over the life course and an assessment of its consequences. Despite the growing awareness and resulting body of knowledge regarding this phenomenon, proposed theoretical formulations about it remain limited. The present article aimed to conceptualize the multifaceted phenomenon of lifetime abuse and to gain a deeper perspective of the topic by understanding its dimensions, meanings, and experiences in older age, based on a critical review of empirical studies. A model is suggested, which can be useful for future exploration and understanding of lifetime abuse. Based on a critical review of previous studies, we suggest a theoretical framework of lifetime abuse from the perspective of older adults, identifying three key domains: (a) perception of time and life review in old age; (b) cumulative and interactive abusive life events; and (c) resilience versus vulnerability over the life course. We propose a heuristic model to explore and understand lifetime abuse. We believe our proposed model is open to reflection and elaboration and is intended to raise questions that could enhance the need for our understanding of lifetime abuse in old age.
K1 Domestic Violence
K1 Elder Abuse
K1 memory and trauma
K1 mental health and violence
K1 Sexual Assault
DO 10.1177/08862605241264533