“I can barely speak about what goes on in my home. Well, it’s not really my home. At their insistence I moved in with my son and his wife. They thought I was unsafe in my old home and they wanted me here. What could I say? It seemed generous on their part. How was I to know it would come to this? It all began as I moved slower and slower. They seemed so impatient with me. They would tell me, “get a move on, we don’t have all day.” But I just couldn’t move as fast as they wanted. They began saying other mean things to me, then they began pushing me to get me to move faster. I don’t know what overcame them. Finally, she pushed me and I fell. Oh, then things really began to happen. They couldn’t get me up, and finally had to call for help. When the ambulance came, they told them I was walking and just fell down. At the emergency room the doctor wondered why I had those finger marks on my arms, but I didn’t tell him. After all, where would I live if someone arrested my children for hurting me?”1
MYTH: Domestic Violence can occur in older women, but it is quite rare.
FACT: Approximately half of all elder abuse in women is thought to be domestic violence “grown old.” Older battered women are less likely to seek and receive help.
You are not alone!
In an emergency, dial 911 or call the National Domestic Violence
24-Hour Hotline at 800-799-7233.
The above quote from Carrol A. M. Smith, PhD, RN, faculty of UIC. The Many Faces of Interpersonal Violence.
The Myth and Fact from The Family Violence Prevention Fund, Chapter 1, What is Domestic Violence?
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