Introduction

Domestic violence and abuse has a significant impact on the lives and health of all women who experience it. It also impacts on the wellbeing of the wider family including children. Globally, domestic violence and abuse is a significant public health and societal issue.

Whilst the experience and impact of abuse will be different for every woman there are particular differences that may be particular to older women, However historically older women have been largely invisible within the domestic violence and abuse discourse as a whole and as such these differences may not have adequately been accounted for.

It is also important to acknowledge that while abuse may have ended for older women they may still experience significant physical and psychological health issues and impact on well being.

In this resource older women share their personal stories of survivorship. In so doing they illustrate the particular impact of domestic violence and abuse on the health and wellbeing of older women, they also illuminate the situation of older women within the domestic violence and abuse discourse more broadly.