Family Violence against the Elderly in Spain

This paper briefly reviews key theoretical and conceptual aspects of elder abuse. Then, it discusses the methodology, main results, and conclusions of a study about family violence against elderly people. Applying socio-legal analysis, some questions about the social, legal, and institutional response to family elder abuse in Spain and the Comunidad Autónoma of Aragon are discussed. This represents a violation of the human rights of the elderly that still remains socially hidden, understudied, and often overlooked by social policies designed to prevent domestic violence.