Inte kan väl morfar slå mormor?

Sammanfattning: This study aims to shed light on the personal understanding of domestic violence among elderly women. The study is based on women's personal experiences, but also on the statements of professionals who have met abused women in their work. To our aid we constructed a question; how do elderly women explain their understanding of domestic violence? The method chosen for this study was qualitative interviews with three previously abused women and six professionals. For the analysis, we used theories and perspectives such as stigma, the normalization process, and ageism. The study found that all three perspectives explained the women's understanding and non-understanding of the abuse. The stigma theory showed that older women felt guilt and shame in relation to the violence and their age. Further, the normalization process states that the understanding of domestic violence might be delayed or even denied due to manipulation during the relationship. Finally, the ageist perspective states that prejudices, attitudes, and stereotypes affect the elderly's understanding of violence and their reluctance to identify as a victim of domestic violence. Society produces norms and stereotypes in relation to the person's age that contributes to prejudices and attitudes, something that older people adopt themselves and are afraid to deviate from.