Violência contra as mulheres idosas: o peso das assimetrias de género na idade avançada

Abstract

Moving from the analysis of a range of vulnerabilities in Portugal's elderly population, with special emphasis on older women, this article identifies the gender asymmetries which exacerbate the risk of these women being exposed to various types of abuse and violence. It provides an overview of the theoretical debate surrounding the definition and explanation of the concept of abuse of the elderly, drawing on feminist theories which account for the relevance of the category of gender for interpreting the domination and inequality processes affecting older women. The article ends by presenting empirical evidence illustrating the above mentioned asymmetries.