The Centre for Protecting Women Online at The Open University and Dewis Choice at the Centre for Age, Gender and Social Justice at Aberystwyth University have come together to submit evidence to an international consultation on violence against older women.
The Centre for Protecting Women Online at The Open University and Dewis Choice at the Centre for Age, Gender and Social Justice at Aberystwyth University have come together to submit evidence to an international consultation on violence against older women. By combining their expertise, the partnership brings much needed attention to an issue that remains largely sidelined.
Each centre contributed a distinct perspective to the international consultation. While the Centre for Protecting Women and Girls Online focuses on tackling technology facilitated violence against women and girls, Dewis Choice provides specialist intensive support to older victim survivors and conducts longitudinal research on abuse in later life.
The joint submission highlights a clear gap. Older women experience significant levels of abuse, yet they are far less likely to be recognised, supported, or included in services addressing violence against women and girls. This invisibility is even more pronounced in relation to technology-facilitated abuse, where the experiences of older women remain particularly under-recognised. Many face additional barriers linked to disability, health needs, social isolation, and limited access to digital services.
The work also shows that abuse in later life can look different. It may involve long term coercive control within relationships, or abuse by adult children and other family members. Increasingly, it can also involve technology, such as monitoring through devices or restricting access to online services and communication.
Alongside this analysis, the centres put forward practical recommendations. These include improving how data is collected, expanding specialist support for older women, making services more accessible, and ensuring that both offline and online forms of abuse are properly recognised in law and policy.
This collaboration demonstrates the importance of bringing together different areas of expertise to address complex social issues. By working across institutions and disciplines, The Centre for Protecting Women Online and Dewis Choice have helped ensure that older women’s experiences are being platformed and recognised as a critical part of efforts to end violence against women and girls.
