This year’s Wales National Safeguarding Week took place 13th to 17th November 2023. This is an annual event that is coordinated by the five Regional Safeguarding Boards throughout Wales. Its aim is to raise awareness of safeguarding issues, learn best practice and share information amongst the Social Care workforce and partners.
As part of our focus on the week, we invited Heléna Herklots CBE, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales to speak to us about the research they commissioned into abuse in older male adults:
“The abuse of older people is an issue that is often hidden, and is rarely discussed within society. Yet it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of older people throughout the UK experience abuse, which can take many forms (including physical abuse, financial abuse and coercive control) and has a devastating impact on people’s lives.
That’s why one of my key priorities as Older People’s Commissioner for Wales – an independent voice and champion for older people – is stopping the abuse of older people, through improving evidence and data about older people’s experiences of abuse, influencing policy and practice, and raising awareness amongst professionals and wider society about the signs of abuse and where people can go if they need help and support.
One area where data is particularly limited relates to the experiences of older men. That’s why last year I commissioned research to hear directly from male survivors aged 50+ through in-depth interviews, as well as from professionals working across a range of domestic abuse and other public services based throughout Wales.
My report highlighted that older men experiencing abuse face significant challenges and barriers when seeking help and support, meaning they may be unable to escape abuse relationships, putting them at risk of physical and psychological harm.
My research also found that men may be reluctant to seek support due to the stigma of being a male victim of abuse, and that the small number of domestic abuse services targeted specifically at men are under-resourced, meaning that the support they are able to provide is often very limited.
Within the report, I called for action from the Welsh Government and other public bodies to improve services and support through:
- raising awareness and improving understanding of older men’s experiences;
- delivering training to professionals who come into contact with older people so they can recognise abuse and offer appropriate support; and
- improving data and evidence relating to older men’s experiences of domestic abuse to ensure the right policies and services are in place for older men to access the support they need.
Following the report’s publication, I began working with key stakeholders – including Welsh Government ministers and officials, public bodies in Wales, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, and the Victims Commissioner for England and Wales – to take forward the action needed and improve the support available to older men who are experiencing or at risk of abuse.
I recently published an update ‘one year on’ report, which highlighted the significant amount of action that has been taken forward in response to my calls. This has been largely through work to implement the Welsh Government’s Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) strategy, which now includes a specific strand focused on older people, and the upcoming National Plan to Prevent the Abuse of Older People, the first of its kind in the UK.
This action represents important progress, and it is crucial we build on this – by continuing to raise awareness and calling for change with a powerful united voice – to ensure that everyone experiencing or at risk of abuse, including older people, can get the support and services they need so they are safe and protected.”
Find out more about the Commissioner’s Work to stop the abuse of older people.
Confidential support for survivors of abuse is available by contacting the Thirtyone:eight helpline on 0303 003 1111