[Home ] [Archive]   [ فارسی ]  
:: Main :: About :: Current Issue :: Archive :: Search :: Submit :: Contact ::
Main Menu
Home::
Journal Information::
Articles archive::
For Authors::
For Reviewers::
Ethics::
Contact us::
::
Search in website

Advanced Search
..
Receive site information
Enter your Email in the following box to receive the site news and information.
..
Index








     
 
..
:: Volume 26, Issue 4 (Winter 2024) ::
EBNESINA 2024, 26(4): 69-87 Back to browse issues page
Sexual abuse of the elderly: A hidden subject
Fattaneh Hajilou * , Tavakkol Aghayari Hir , Ali Pilvari
Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran , fhajilou@tabrizu.ac.ir
Abstract:   (660 Views)
Background and aims: The elderly population in Iran is increasing due to rising life expectancy and improvements in health, which presents certain challenges to society. One of these challenges is the sexual abuse of the elderly, an issue that often receives little attention. This research aimed to examine the sexual abuse of the elderly.
Methods: This study utilized a qualitative approach, specifically the phenomenological method. Data collection was conducted through targeted sampling, focusing on 15 elderly women residing in Arak city. A semi-structured interview method was employed to gather information. The data were analyzed based on the hermeneutic approach, transforming participants’ descriptions of their experiences of sexual abuse into structural descriptions.
Results: The analysis of the data revealed two main themes: "contexts" and "effects and consequences," which included 16 sub-themes and 48 specific semantic units. Key contextual factors identified were "economic poverty," "lack of awareness among caregivers," and "the elderly's inability to express their needs." Significant consequences highlighted included feelings of invasion of privacy, silence, embarrassment, and disappointment.
Conclusion: Sexual abuse encompasses harassment, seduction, and violence, placing the elderly at risk for various reasons. To prevent abuse, it is essential to increase public awareness, provide educational resources, and offer counseling to support families while educating caregivers about the rights of the elderly. Creating a safe environment and encouraging seniors to report signs of abuse are also critical steps in addressing this issue.
 
Keywords: Sexual Abuse, Elderly, Qualitative Research
Full-Text [PDF 1720 kb]   (293 Downloads) |   |   Extended Abstract (HTML)  (297 Views)  
Type of Study: Original |
Received: 2024/09/2 | Revised: 2025/03/12 | Accepted: 2024/11/2 | Published: 2024/12/21
References
1. 1. Parandin S. The effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy on resilience and perceived stress in older residents of nursing homes. Aging Psychology. 2024;9(4):419-436. [Persian] doi:10.22126/jap.2024.10178.1754
2. 2. Haugan G, Korukcu O, Kabukcuoğlu K, Tufan I, Helvik A. Successful Aging in Turkey: Psychometric properties of the adapted Turkish Successful Aging Scale. Clinical Investigation. 2023;13(4):417-426. doi:10.‌2041.37532‌-6792.2023.13(4).417-426
3. 3. Chopin J, Beauregard E. Sexual abuse of elderly victims investigated by the police: From motives to crime characteristics. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 2021;36(13-14):6722-6744. doi:10.‌0886260518821456.1177‌
4. 4. Mikton C, Campo-Tena L, Yon Y, Beaulieu M, Shawar YR. Factors shaping the global political priority of addressing elder abuse: a qualitative policy analysis. Lancet Healthy Longev. 2022;3(8):e531-e539. doi:10.1016/s2666-7568(22)00143-x
5. 5. Payne BK. Understanding elder sexual abuse and the criminal justice system's response: Comparisons to elder physical abuse. Justice Quarterly. 2010;27(2):206-224. doi:10.‌07418820902763087.1080‌
6. 6. Ramsey-Klawsnik H. Elder sexual abuse within the family. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect. 2003;15(1):43-58. doi:10.1300/J084v15n01_04
7. 7. Hawks RA. Grandparent molesting: sexual abuse of elderly nursing home residents and its prevention. Marquette Elder's Advisor. 2006;8(1):159.
8. 8. Chopin J, Beauregard E. The sexual murderer is a distinct type of offender. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. 2019;63(9):1597-1620. doi:10.‌0306624.1177‌x18817445
9. 9. Jeary K. Sexual abuse and sexual offending against elderly people: A focus on perpetrators and victims. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology 2005;16(2):328-343. doi:10.‌14789940500096115.1080‌
10. 10. Flores RJ, Campo-Arias A, Stimpson JP, Chalela CM, Reyes-Ortiz CA. The association between past sexual abuse and depression in older adults from Colombia. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology. 2018;31(1):13-18. doi:10.‌0891988717743588.1177‌
11. 11. Cohen M, Levin SH, Gagin R, Friedman G. Elder abuse: disparities between older people's disclosure of abuse, evident signs of abuse, and high risk of abuse. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2007;55(8):1224-1230. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01269.x
12. 12. Malmedal W, Iversen MH, Kilvik A. Sexual abuse of older nursing home residents: a literature review. Nursing Research and Practice. 2015;2015:902515. doi:10.‌2015.1155‌/902515
13. 13. Teaster PB, Ramsey-Klawsnik H, Abner EL, Kim S. The sexual victimization of older women living in nursing homes. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect. 2015;27(4-5):392-409. doi:10.‌08946566.1080‌.2015.1082453
14. 14. Burgess AW, Clements PT. Information processing of sexual abuse in elders. Journal of Forensic Nursing. 2006;2(3):113-120. doi:10.1111/j.1939-3938.2006.tb00069.x
15. 15. Daly JM. Elder Abuse in Long Term Care and Assisted Living Settings. In: Dong X, ed. Elder Abuse: Research, Practice and Policy. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2017:67-91. doi:10.‌978.1007‌-3-319-47504-2_4
16. 16. Shamaskin-Garroway AM, Giordano N, Blakley L. Addressing elder sexual abuse: The critical role for integrated care. Translational Issues in Psychological Science. 2017;3(4):410-422. doi:10.1037/tps0000145
17. 17. Paradiso MN, Rollè L, Trombetta T. Image-Based Sexual Abuse Associated Factors: A Systematic Review. Journal of Family Violence. 2024;39(5):931-954. doi:10.1007/s10896-023-00557-z
18. 18. Zanjari N, Kalantari Banadaki S Z, Sadeghi R, Delbari A. A futures study of the challenges and drivers of population aging in Iran using the scenario analysis technique. Salmand: Iranian Journal of Ageing. 2024;19(2):258-275. [Persian] doi:10.32598/sija.2023.3692.1
19. 19. Grzesiak H. Elderly sexual abuse. Social Work. 2021;36(3):143-160. [Polski] doi:10.‌01.5604‌.3001.0015.1536
20. 20. Rostamian A, Rahmani Firozjah A, Abbasi Asfajir A. Sociological explanation of sexual harassment: A case study of the disabled women in Mazandaran Province. Socio-Cultural Strategy. 2020;9(4):125-154. [Persian]
21. 21. Baker PR, Francis DP, Hairi NN, Othman S, Choo WY. Interventions for preventing abuse in the elderly. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2016;2016(8):Cd010321. doi:10.‌14651858.1002‌.CD010321.pub2
22. 22. Koga C, Hanazato M, Tsuji T, Suzuki N, Kondo K. Elder abuse and social capital in older adults: The Japan gerontological evaluation study. Gerontology. 2020;66(2):149-159. doi:10.‌000502544.1159‌
23. 23. Beauregard E, Chopin J, Winter J. Lethal outcome in elderly sexual violence: Escalation or different intent? Journal of Criminal Justice. 2020;71:101704. doi:10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2020.101704
24. 24. Hentati Y, Matoussi K. Violence against Older People: Tunisia, The study was conducted in partnership between: The Arab Woman Organization, The Ministry of Women, Family, Children and Seniors The United Nations Population Fund UNFPA, 2019.
25. 25. Crome P, Moulias R, Sánchez-Castellano C, Tilvis R, Arora A, Busby F, et al. Elder abuse in Finland, France, Spain and United Kingdom. European Geriatric Medicine. 2014;5(4):277-284. doi:10.1016/j.eurger.2014.05.008
26. 26. Khoa BT, Hung BP, Hejsalem-Brahmi M. Qualitative research in social sciences: data collection, data analysis and report writing. International Journal of Public Sector Performance Management. 2023;12(1-2):187-209.
Send email to the article author

Add your comments about this article
Your username or Email:

CAPTCHA

Ethics code: IR.TABRIZU.REC.1403.006



XML   Persian Abstract   Print


Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:

Hajilou F, Aghayari Hir T, Pilvari A. Sexual abuse of the elderly: A hidden subject. EBNESINA 2024; 26 (4) :69-87
URL: http://ebnesina.ajaums.ac.ir/article-1-1357-en.html


Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Volume 26, Issue 4 (Winter 2024) Back to browse issues page
ابن سینا EBNESINA
Persian site map - English site map - Created in 0.07 seconds with 39 queries by YEKTAWEB 4710