This Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), we are reminded that domestic violence is a crime that happens in communities across the country and across the lifespan—affecting 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in their lifetimes. And yet, domestic violence in later life has largely been ignored. Violence against older adults exists in the margins between domestic violence and elder abuse, with neither field effectively capturing the experiences of older survivors. This lack of attention to domestic violence in later life has led to insufficient knowledge of how older adults experience abuse, the barriers they face, and their help-seeking behaviors.
DVAM gives us an opportunity to shine a light on domestic violence in later life, raise awareness about the signs of abuse, and strengthen support for survivors. It also reminds us to broaden the conversation and ensure older adults are always included—adding language to the definition of domestic violence that mentions abuse can happen at any point in a person’s life and ensuring that the elder abuse definition includes abuse by intimate partners or denotes that domestic violence is elder abuse.
When The Domestic Violence Awareness Project introduced their DVAM 2025 theme With Survivors, Always, NCALL seized upon the opportunity to explore what it means to be in partnership with older survivors toward safety, support, and solidarity. This month, and every month, we are called to take action—educating ourselves and others, standing with survivors, and working toward a future free from violence at every age.
How Do You Show Up for Older Survivors of Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence impacts people across the lifespan, and many of the same dynamics are at play no matter how old someone is. Yet, a person’s age can shape their experience of abuse, the way they seek help, and how they define healing and justice. In addition to age, taking into account an older survivor’s life experience and background allows service providers to better see the distinct dynamics, barriers, and safety options that apply to that individual person. When supporting older adults, it is crucial to consider not just their age, but also the other elements that make up who they are.
With this in mind, we put together a selection of new and recently released resources that we hope you will check out and share widely!
- Domestic Violence Across the Lifespan: Supporting Older Survivors and Age-Inclusive Advocacy: Expanding Services and Awareness for Older DV Survivors, provide a framework for recognizing how domestic violence in later life is similar to and different than domestic violence. They also offer strategies for tailoring services, expanding outreach, and making your DVAM campaign age-inclusive.
- Advocates may not immediately consider legal tools such as guardianships and powers of attorney in the context of domestic violence. This DVAM, NCALL is excited to offer two new resources that dig into how certain legal protections impact cases of domestic violence in later life.
- FAQ for Advocates Working with Older Survivors of Abuse Under Guardianship – Guardianship is a court-ordered legal arrangement where a guardian makes decisions for a person a court determines to be incapacitated. This resource offers guidance to advocates who wonder how to proceed when working with a survivor who has a legal guardian.
- FAQ for Advocates Working with Older Survivors of Abuse: Powers of Attorney – Health care and financial powers of attorney can serve protective purposes for older adults, but they can also be misused by abusers if they are appointed as agents. This resource provides an overview of the different kinds of advance directives an advocate might encounter, and tips for working with survivors who have a Power of Attorney in place.
- Our new video, Tactics of Abuse in Later Life, shares the experiences of survivors of abuse in later life. With a short running time of just 51 seconds, this clip is an impactful way to illustrate some tactics of abuse including intimate partner violence in later life.
We thank you for all you do each day to make our world a safer place for survivors of every age.