It asks people over 60 to talk about domestic abuse

Over-60s in Devon and Cornwall who have experienced domestic and sexual abuse are being asked to share their views in an effort to improve services.

The Older People’s Project is a partnership between Cornwall Women’s Centre, Age UK Cornwall and Safer Cornwall.

Participants say it is a hidden problem and older people are often overlooked by professionals and underrepresented by services.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics estimate that around 302,000 women and men aged 60 to 74 have experienced domestic abuse in the past year.

Jean Yeomans, 77, from Falmouth suffered decades of domestic abuse which worsened as she got older and ended with her husband breaking all the bones in his wrist and being given a restraining order for life.

“Drinking and violence have gotten worse in the last five years. He was controlling and coercive and the abuse was psychological not physical until the end,” she said.

Her ex-husband has now passed away and she is raising awareness of the experiences of older people, recently winning an award for her work helping others recover.

“Neighbors and friends thought I was fine because he was a Jekyll and Hyde character.

“It is so important that victims of domestic abuse of all ages know that services are there for them and will be believed if they speak up.”

Services “not for them”

Jo Higson from Women’s Center Cornwall said the results of the project so far show that the impact of domestic abuse can be devastating for older people.

“They don’t always understand that what they’re dealing with is domestic abuse and they may not think the services are for them.

“One of the big issues is that it’s not always an intimate partner, it can be a family member, like grown children or grandchildren.”

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