Research carried out at the Centre for Age, Gender, and Social Justice at Aberystwyth University from 2010, found that many agencies failed to recognise domestic abuse in later life. Instead, when an older person reported domestic abuse, it was hidden under the term ‘elder abuse’. This use of the broader term marginalised older people and denied them access to justice and support. 

This earlier research revealed a lack of knowledge of coercive control and safeguarding processes, and discovered that support for older victims is often provided by single agencies that lack the knowledge to support their complex needs. Of the 200 clients supported, over 60 % were aged 74 years and over, 61% had a disability, 70% were female, and 90% lived in rural areas in Wales. 

The research also highlighted the systemic invisibility of older victims’ ‘lived experiences’ in domestic abuse research, policy and practice. 

Dewis Choice

This resulted in the team working with older people in Carmarthenshire, over a five-month period, to design the Dewis Choice Initiative. Older people decided on the model, emphasising the need for long term face-to-face support, the nature of the research, and how resources could be developed to change understandings about domestic abuse in later life, which is often mistaken for care-giver stress. 

The Initiative, was created in partnership with older people to: 

  • fill a significant gap in the service response. Dewis is the only dedicated service in England and Wales providing long term intensive support from crisis through to recovery,  
  • reduce the risk of domestic abuse and future harm, not only for the 200 clients supported, but by producing and disseminating toolkits and resources to better safeguard older survivors by improving practitioners’ capabilities through training 
  • improve the justice response for older victim-survivors, and ensuring they are in a position to make informed choices.   

To address the human rights and needs identified by the ongoing longitudinal research, the research team work closely with older victims of domestic abuse to understand their lived experiences. They are examining how survivors who are diagnosed with dementia whilst experiencing domestic abuse from an intimate partner and/or a family member can be better supported. This research is then used to highlight service ‘poverty’ and gaps in legislation.  

Transforming policy and practice

The training strand of the Dewis Choice Initiative is delivered to services including health and social care, the police, and third-sector organisations across the UK. The team have engaged with safeguarding teams in Scotland, Northern Ireland and England, as well as in Wales 

This training helps practitioners: 

  • gain a greater understanding of older people’s experiences of domestic abuse, 
  • understand how legislation can be used to protect the rights of older victim-survivors, particularly if they lack capacity.   
  • better identify risk and report domestic abuse,  
  • work with other organisations to give older victims appropriate support. 

Dewis Choice also contributed to a wide range of work across Wales, including the Welsh Government’s national safeguarding guidance, the Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Plan, and the Older People’s Commissioner (OPC) for Wales strategy groups.  

“It [Dewis Choice] actually changed my life, and I can’t emphasise that enough.”
Older survivor of domestic violence and abuse

Research team 

Current Team: Sarah Wydall, Principal Investigator; Rebecca Zerk; Elize Freeman  

Practice team 

David Cowsill;  Tom Chapman; Rachel Rae; Lisa Taylor 

Dewis Choice Team prior to 2018: Sarah Wydall, Principal Investigator; Rebecca Zerk; Emeritus Professors Alan Clarke, John Williams, Jeremy Newman, Elize Freeman, Carmel Boston  

Read the full REF impact case study