Alesha Durfee
Associate Professor Of Women And Gender Studies, Arizona State University
Key Findings
- There were significant differences in types of violence reported and the likelihood of success in protection order filings based on the types of relationships between abuser and victim and gender.
- Older protection order filers are more likely to be men than younger protection order filings are.
- Older men were the least likely to report abuse that qualified for a protection order.
- Most physical abuse reported in protection orders were forms of IPV, including physical abuse and intimidation.
- Younger filers were more likely to report intimidation in their protection order than older filers.
- Older filers did not report any sexually-based IPV.
- Older filers report more emotional abuse than physical abuse.
- Older filers were less likely to report that others had witnessed the abuse than younger filers.
- Outcomes of protection order success for elders differ by gender.
- Older men were the least likely to receive protection orders.
Description
In the article, “Gender, Protection Orders, and Intimate Partner Violence in Later Life: A Study of Protective Order Filings in Arizona,” Durfee and her co-author examine the intimate partner violence (IPV) focused on elders (adults 50 and over). Much of the research on IPV focuses on the relationship between children and adults but there is a gap in the literature in how elders protect themselves from abuse. To conduct their study, the researchers examined more than 600 protection orders filed in Arizona to compare the details of petitioners over 50 (83 filings) and petitioners under 50 (524 filings). The results showed significant differences in types of violence reported and the likelihood of success in protection order filings based on the types of relationships between abuser and victim and gender. Older protection order filers are more likely to be men than younger protection order filings are. Older men were the least likely to report abuse that qualified for a protection order. Most physical abuse reported in protection orders were forms of IPV, including physical abuse and intimidation. Younger filers were more likely to report intimidation in their protection order than older filers. Older filers did not report any sexually-based IPV. Older filers report more emotional abuse than physical abuse. Older filers were also less likely to report that others had witnessed the abuse than younger filers. Outcomes of protection order success for elders differ by gender. Older men were the least likely to receive protection orders. In conclusion, the authors note that IPV in elders was highly gendered and that older individuals only included a small sample of total filers. They recommend future research to further focus on older individuals, gender differences in the types of IPV reported and filers’ interactions with the legal system.