Equality

1. Justice NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR FAMILY ACTION Equality Innovation Progress Solidarity Paris Meeting February 2nd – 3rd 2012

2. WS3- Awareness Raising Meetings and Focus Groups 1st Awareness Raising meeting: January 5th 2012 25 people registered to attend, 23 attended

3. WS3- Awareness Raising Meetings and Focus Groups Methodology Presentation of the Project Presentation of the WS1 results Open discussion Registration for focus group

4. WS3- Awareness Raising Meetings and Focus Groups 1st Focus Group: January11th 2012 13 registrations 6 presences

5. WS3- Awareness Raising Meetings and Focus Groups Results Elder abuse: The definition is very generic but in that sense it is appropriate. However the focus of the definition should be on acts that cause damage, suffering or fear; particularly the notion of fear and living frightened is not a part of this definition and should be. Also somehow it should refer to the lack of respect for one’s individuality and the undervaluing and isolation of the elderly.

6. WS3- Awareness Raising Meetings and Focus Groups Results The gender perspective Given the different life courses with very well defined social roles, both for men and for women, the way they relate with and interpret acts of violence has different consequences. Men, traditionally with a life course more active in external social life, developed more competences to respond directly to abuse; however, men traditionally have a greater dependency on the primary care providers and more easily become “hostages” of a situation caused by their caretakers. Men lose their purpose in life more easily after they retire. Women, due to a life course more attached to domestic life and a caretaker role, maintain their independence for their daily life activities promoting a greater autonomy. However women are, in all aspects, less prepared to defend/react in situations of violence.

7. WS3- Awareness Raising Meetings and Focus Groups Results Is there a prejudice associated with violence against elderly people and against elderly women in particular? The concept of elderly abuse is very wide and needs to be linked to the representations of what it is to be elderly and the right and capacity of self-determination that the elderly have. There is a generalized narrow minded idea of what an elderly person is, what he/she needs and wants and should do, usually associated to an idea that they cannot make their own decisions. This, however, is not perceived as violence. There is a pre-defined idea in our society that elderly violence is a problem to be dealt by the family or alternatively by the public authorities/entities.

8. WS3- Awareness Raising Meetings and Focus Groups Results Are there differences in the violence against elderly women when compared to other victims of violence ? There are differences, in the more frequent types of violence, in the relationship between the victim and the aggressor, in the motivation for the act of violence, in the severity of the aggression. Elderly women are more vulnerable to acts of violence because they are more fragile and socially more undervalued. The lack of a life perspective and the idea that they are no longer useful to society creates in them a lack of self-esteem. Consequently they tolerate more frequently situations of violence

9. WS3- Awareness Raising Meetings and Focus Groups Results Who intervenes in situations of violence against elderly people? Police/security forces; State Attorney; social workers in the local area; NGOs such as APAV (Portuguese Association for Victim’s Support) or UMAR (Union of Women Alternative and Response), local health/medical centres; social/parish centres (social centres that are created and run by the church)

10. WS3- Awareness Raising Meetings and Focus Groups Results What types of support are there for the victims? Psychological, social, legal.

11. WS3- Awareness Raising Meetings and Focus Groups Results Recommendations or suggestions - training and supervision of workers that deal directly with the issue and managers of the intervening organizations - training for formal and informal caretakers - Creation of a video to raise awareness for the issue, focusing on the individual and collective added value of participation towards the resolution of the issue. - definition of intervention protocols and institutional norms to direct action in these situations - strengthening of local networks - awareness raising sessions on what it is to be elderly (part of the problem is that people don’t identify with the elderly and have many misconceptions about the elderly) - some necessary training contents: several representations of what it is to be elderly (legally, psychologically, biologically, etc); elderly rights - basic human rights as the right to be oneself and to decide don’t cease to be basic rights when one grows old; identifying all types of violence (including the lack of respect for one’s ability to make his/her own decisions); how to detect violence signs; how to conduct an interview with the victim, with the neighbours, with the aggressor; how to proceed after identifying abuse; what organizations intervene on this issue, what do they do, what can each offer; how to deal with a victim of violence; social and behavioural skills; stress management for professionals; ethics, confidentiality, …

12. The End Thank you!