Elder abuse among widows remains a critical yet under-researched social issue, particularly in rural communities where gender and age-related discrimination are prevalent. This study was conducted in a rural area of the Thrissur district with a sample size of 100 widowed elderly women. The primary objectives were to determine the prevalence of abuse and maltreatment among widows using semi-structured interviews and to explore preventive measures to address such abuses. The findings revealed alarming rates of multiple forms of abuse experienced by the participants. Psychological abuse was the most common (48%), followed by care neglect (12.5%), verbal abuse (12%), financial abuse (11%), physical abuse (10%), social abuse (5%), and sexual abuse (2%). Many widows suffered from more than one type of abuse simultaneously such as psychological combined with financial or social abuse. The data indicated that most of these were domestic abuses, with perpetrators predominantly being close family members. Specifically, 55% of the abusers were daughters-in-law, 20% were daughters, 12% sons, 8% sons-in-law, 3% others, and 2% grandchildren. Disturbingly, only 32% of the victims were aware that they were being subjected to abuse. The study highlights the urgent need for multidimensional interventions to prevent elder abuse among widows. Preventive strategies should include stronger legal protections, improved social support mechanisms, increased community awareness, and economic empowerment initiatives. Addressing this issue requires both grassroots-level efforts and systemic policy changes to ensure the dignity, safety, and well-being of elderly widows in vulnerable rural settings.

Keywords: Elder abuse, widows, rural communities, psychological abuse, social support

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1. Spark Blye. World report on violence and health. Chapter 5, Abuse of the elderly. p.123–143. Available from: https://www.sparkblue.org/system/files/2022-03/WHO_2002%20World%20Report%20on%20Violence%20and%20Health.pdf.
2. World Health Organization (WHO). Missing voices. Views of elder persons on elder abuse. 8 January 2002. WHO reference number: WHO/NMH/VIP/02.1. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/missing-voices-views-of-older-persons-on-elder-abuse.
3. Krug EG, Mercy JA, Dahlberg LL, Zwi AB. The world report on violence and health. Lancet. 2002 Oct 5;360(9339):1083–8. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(02)11133-0. PMID: 12384003.
4. Help Age India. Uploaded by kulviron Jul 05, 2024. Available from: https://www.scribd.com/document/748045501/Help-Age-India-2013.
5. Ziminski Pickering CE, Rempusheski VF. Examining barriers to self-reporting of elder physical abuse in community-dwelling older adults. Geriatr Nurs. 2014 Mar–Apr;35(2):120–5. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2013.11.002. Epub 2013 Nov 20. PMID: 24341952.
6. Charpentier M, Soulières M. Elder abuse and neglect in institutional settings: The resident’s perspective. J Elder Abuse Negl. 2013;25(4):339–54. doi: 10.1080/08946566.2012.751838. PMID: 23768416.
7. Naughton C, Drennan J, Lyons I, Lafferty A, Treacy M, Phelan A, et al. Elder abuse and neglect in Ireland: results from a national prevalence survey. Age Ageing. 2012 Jan;41(1):98–103. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afr107. Epub 2011 Oct 13. PMID: 21997767.
8. O’Connor D, Hall MI, Donnelly M. Assessing capacity within a context of abuse or neglect. J Elder Abuse Negl. 2009 Apr;21(2):156–69. doi: 10.1080/08946560902779993. PMID: 19347716.
9. Ponnaiah M, Bhatnagar T, et al. Sudden Adult Deaths Study Group. Factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18–45 years in India – A multicentric matched case-control study. Indian J Med Res. 2023 Oct 1;158(4):351–362. doi: 10.4103/ijmr.ijmr_2105_23. Epub 2023 Sep 25. PMID: 37988028; PMCID: PMC10793826.
10. Pengpid S, Peltzer K. Elder abuse and health outcomes among community-dwelling older adults in India: results of a national survey in 2017–2018. J Elder Abuse Negl. 2021 Aug–Oct;33(4):327–341. doi: 10.1080/08946566.2021.1970683. Epub 2021 Aug 25. PMID: 34433374.

Elder abuse among widows remains a critical yet under-researched social issue, particularly in rural communities where gender and age-related discrimination are prevalent. This study was conducted in a rural area of the Thrissur district with a sample size of 100 widowed elderly women. The primary objectives were to determine the prevalence of abuse and maltreatment among widows using semi-structured interviews and to explore preventive measures to address such abuses. The findings revealed alarming rates of multiple forms of abuse experienced by the participants. Psychological abuse was the most common (48%), followed by care neglect (12.5%), verbal abuse (12%), financial abuse (11%), physical abuse (10%), social abuse (5%), and sexual abuse (2%). Many widows suffered from more than one type of abuse simultaneously such as psychological combined with financial or social abuse. The data indicated that most of these were domestic abuses, with perpetrators predominantly being close family members. Specifically, 55% of the abusers were daughters-in-law, 20% were daughters, 12% sons, 8% sons-in-law, 3% others, and 2% grandchildren. Disturbingly, only 32% of the victims were aware that they were being subjected to abuse. The study highlights the urgent need for multidimensional interventions to prevent elder abuse among widows. Preventive strategies should include stronger legal protections, improved social support mechanisms, increased community awareness, and economic empowerment initiatives. Addressing this issue requires both grassroots-level efforts and systemic policy changes to ensure the dignity, safety, and well-being of elderly widows in vulnerable rural settings.

Keywords: Elder abuse, widows, rural communities, psychological abuse, social support

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Spark Blye. World report on violence and health. Chapter 5, Abuse of the elderly. p.123–143. Available from: https://www.sparkblue.org/system/files/2022-03/WHO_2002%20World%20Report%20on%20Violence%20and%20Health.pdf.
2. World Health Organization (WHO). Missing voices. Views of elder persons on elder abuse. 8 January 2002. WHO reference number: WHO/NMH/VIP/02.1. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/missing-voices-views-of-older-persons-on-elder-abuse.
3. Krug EG, Mercy JA, Dahlberg LL, Zwi AB. The world report on violence and health. Lancet. 2002 Oct 5;360(9339):1083–8. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(02)11133-0. PMID: 12384003.
4. Help Age India. Uploaded by kulviron Jul 05, 2024. Available from: https://www.scribd.com/document/748045501/Help-Age-India-2013.
5. Ziminski Pickering CE, Rempusheski VF. Examining barriers to self-reporting of elder physical abuse in community-dwelling older adults. Geriatr Nurs. 2014 Mar–Apr;35(2):120–5. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2013.11.002. Epub 2013 Nov 20. PMID: 24341952.
6. Charpentier M, Soulières M. Elder abuse and neglect in institutional settings: The resident’s perspective. J Elder Abuse Negl. 2013;25(4):339–54. doi: 10.1080/08946566.2012.751838. PMID: 23768416.
7. Naughton C, Drennan J, Lyons I, Lafferty A, Treacy M, Phelan A, et al. Elder abuse and neglect in Ireland: results from a national prevalence survey. Age Ageing. 2012 Jan;41(1):98–103. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afr107. Epub 2011 Oct 13. PMID: 21997767.
8. O’Connor D, Hall MI, Donnelly M. Assessing capacity within a context of abuse or neglect. J Elder Abuse Negl. 2009 Apr;21(2):156–69. doi: 10.1080/08946560902779993. PMID: 19347716.
9. Ponnaiah M, Bhatnagar T, et al. Sudden Adult Deaths Study Group. Factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18–45 years in India – A multicentric matched case-control study. Indian J Med Res. 2023 Oct 1;158(4):351–362. doi: 10.4103/ijmr.ijmr_2105_23. Epub 2023 Sep 25. PMID: 37988028; PMCID: PMC10793826.
10. Pengpid S, Peltzer K. Elder abuse and health outcomes among community-dwelling older adults in India: results of a national survey in 2017–2018. J Elder Abuse Negl. 2021 Aug–Oct;33(4):327–341. doi: 10.1080/08946566.2021.1970683. Epub 2021 Aug 25. PMID: 34433374.