Elder Abuse of Women in America

Elder Abuse of Women in America

Introduction

The abuse of women is defined as any type of violent behavior had on a woman by a man who maintains (or has had) an intimate relationship with her. In the aforementioned behavior includes the physical, sexual, emotional and economic control and / or isolation of the victim. The initiatives taken in the last quarter of 20th century to fight against domestic violence and child abuse, abuse of elderly was a phenomenon confined by the private domain and carefully hidden in public. Today, it is considered more and more it is a significant problem that may increase, given the rapid aging of the population in many countries (Aitken & Griffin, 1996).

Thus, between 1995 and 2025, the number of people over 60 years in the world should at least double from 542 million to 1.2 billion.  Elder abuse can be defined as a single or repeated action, or lack of appropriate action, occurring in any relationship, which is expected to trust, which causes harm or distress to the person earlier. It can take many forms: physical, psychological, sexual, financial, as well as a form of intentional or negligent (Canada & Morin, 2012). The objective of this paper is to analyze the abuse of elder women in United States of America.

Discussion

Violence or abuse is a phenomenon unacceptable in a civilized society, especially when it is committed against the most vulnerable and dependent family members including women, children and the elderly. It not only undermines the life of the family itself, but also destroys the foundation of public safety. Abuse is any act of violence in public or private life, causing physical and psychological damage (Solinger, 2010). Violence against older people is one of the most difficult moments in life, the individual and society (Galanter, 2002). Violence against the elderly, especially women is a systematic and sustained for the duration of the persecution of the people of the caregiver rights (Galanter, 2002). This type of violence is defined as the intentional infliction of an elderly person physical or psychological pain, suffering and trauma, as well as unreasonable restriction or complete deprivation of care and treatment that would support his spiritual and mental health. An older women, probably "very old age", vulnerable and dependent on others to meet their most basic needs, discovers that her bank account robbed, perhaps someone on whom she depends (Dunlop, et.al, 2005). An elderly woman, a semi-invalid, who lives in a nursing home, does not receive physical assistance from the staff and left to suffer without supervision from the severe pain that no one will ease, resulting in the usual pressure ulcers, if not treated, can cause death. An elder woman who is in charge of her family, suffers from moral humiliation, and is powerless to protect themselves, being in a state of dependence (Aitken & Griffin, 1996).

It is generally agreed that the abuse elderly is an act committed or omitted, in which case we usually talk about "negligence, ...