A guide to the detection of male violence suffered by older women was presented in Bilbao on Tuesday. The director of Emakunde, Miren Elgarresta, pointed out in the presentation that the guide focuses on the peculiarities of violence against women in a given age group, since "although older women are very varied and not all respond to the same profile, one can speak of a special vulnerability associated with age". Specifically, the guide focuses on women over 65 years of age, in the sector that accounts for 13% of the CAPV population. In Elgarresta's words, "most of the women of this generation are women who have not had economic autonomy; they had to ask their husbands for permission to work, open a current account or go abroad; above all, they have been taking care of the rest of people, without spaces of leisure and personal enjoyment; violence against women was a personal problem".
With the assistance granted by Emakunde, the guide has been prepared by Suspergintza and the EDE Foundation has participated in its elaboration. Detection and initial monitoring guide. Under the title “Guide against male violence against older women in their relationship with the partner and/or former partner”, it is concrete that older women focus on violence exercised by the partner or former partner.
It is a didactic guide specially directed to people who work with the elderly. It does not intend to establish a concrete methodology for the violence suffered by older women. Another objective is to broaden the view and deepen the theme, making available references and strategies, and offering advice and indications for when a case of violence is identified, to intervene in situations.
The guide is structured in five sections: entries, theoretical frameworks, chapters dedicated to keys and practical recommendations, dedicated to the self-care of the closest women and final reflections. The guide includes a series of practical exercises, as well as testimonies of women of different ages who have faced male violence.