Two lives - two worlds : older people and domestic violence / Morgan Disney & Associates ; with Leigh Cupitt and Associates and Council on the Ageing .

"November 2000" -- T.p.

Older people in this study were identified as being over 50 years of age.

Includes bibliographies.

Vol. 1 Executive summary -- Key findings -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Methodology -- Limitations of the study -- 3. Profile of older people who contributed to the study -- Older women interviewed or contributing to this research -- The experience of violence in women's lives -- The backgrounds of the women interviewed -- The experiences of violence in men's lives -- 4. Brief summary of the Literature Review and secondary data analysis -- Summary of the literature -- Summary of secondary data analysis -- 5. It was different for us -- Overview of the world of the generations over 50 in 2000 -- Other couple relationships -- What the women and the men said about past eras -- Non--English speaking communities -- Rural and remote communities -- Indigenous communities -- Younger people see things differently -- The shame of it -- The importance of being believed.

Where would I go? What would I do? -- How they coped -- Impacts of the abuse -- The language barrier -- Summary -- 6. Even now it is different for us -- Introduction -- Differences in action and disclosure -- Changes with retirement -- Language is still a problem -- More to lose -- More to lose: financially -- More to lose: socially -- More to lose: a house -- More to lose: a standard of living -- More to lose: children -- Implementing a decision to leave -- Harder to find: someone in my family or friends to support me -- Harder to find: a job -- Harder to find: a house -- Harder to find: services and support which suit older people -- The greatest challenge -- What is the same for women of all ages who have experienced domestic violence -- Summary -- 7. Adult children -- Impact on the children when they were young -- Their reaction as adults -- Estrangement and rejection.

Support can be taking sides or trying to be in touch with both -- Concern for their inheritance -- Angry if she stays, angry if she leaves -- How can adult children disentangle themselves -- Summary -- 8. The role of family, friends and community -- Introduction -- A Framework -- Extended family members -- Friends -- Recognition of the difficulty -- The community and community gatekeepers -- Community awareness and community gatekeepers -- 9. Services and service providers -- What the respondents said -- What women hear -- Services in Category Three -- Services in Category Four.

Services with direct responsibility in domestic violence -- Prime Gatekeepers -- The role of doctors -- The role of ministers of religion --10. Future directions -- Existing Approaches -- Addressing the variable of age/lifestage in existing approaches -- New approaches needed -- Adult children -- Models for support -- Language and socialisation -- New services -- New functional or inter--agency responsibilities -- Communication strategies to reach older people -- Men and violence -- 11. Conclusion.

Vol. 2 -- 1. Literature Review -- Introduction -- The relationship between elder abuse and domestic violence -- Gender analysis -- Difficulties in establishing incidence rates -- Overseas prevalence studies -- Older women's difficulties in speaking out -- The role of professionals -- Support and service needs of older women experiencing abuse -- Training of service providers -- Issues for specific population groups -- Conclusion -- 2. Secondary Data Analysis -- Women's Safety Australia -- General Data - Bibliography.

Gives an insight into the impact of domestic violence on the lives of older people in Australia. One in three women who currently experience domestic violence is over age 45. Australian values and attitudes have changed and many of these women grew up with a culture of silence and acceptance of domestic violence.