Introduction

Violence is defined as the deliberate and instrumental action that seeks to enslave the victim, deprive him/her of autonomy and sovereign thoughts and actions, to subordinate his/her needs and requirements to the perpetrator. Due to the rapid ageing of societies, violence against seniors is predicted to be a growing problem.

Aim

The purpose of the work is to show the theoretical issues of the phenomenon of the abuse of the elderly.

Review

Many works attempt to define elder abuse. A consistent definition is needed to properly monitor cases of the elderly’s abuse and to investigate its spread over time. This consistency will help to determine the extent of elder abuse and allow the problem to be compared at different locations around the world. The collected data will finally inform the necessary preventive and intervention measures. The phenomenon of violence against older people is difficult to diagnose. This results from the myths and stereotypes that are widespread in the society and the feeling of embarrassment and intimidation of the victims themselves. This is a hidden but growing problem in the society. There are different forms of violence. With regard to the age group of seniors, the following are mainly distinguished: physical, mental/emotional, sexual violence, financial abuse and neglect.

Conclusions

Every year, a significant percentage of people experience a form of violence that causes fear, loneliness, and consequently depression or even suicide. The phenomenon of violence is a very serious problem and its effects are felt by the victim, most often, for the rest of his or her life, which is why research in this area is so important.