INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

25 November 2025

FERPA: breaking the silence around older women!

On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the European Federation of Retired and Older People (FERPA), which represents more than 10 million retired people in the European Union, calls on the EU institutions to promote specific protocols for cases of violence against older women, with instruments to provide economic support to victims.

According to the World Health Organisation, older women and those with disabilities are at high risk of abuse, but their situation is not taken into account in most global and national data on violence. However, where evidence of gender-based violence against these groups exists, the data shows a high prevalence.

Even today, abuse or violence against older women is not recognised and is not reported enough for real measures to combat it and bring about long-term structural change to be put in place.

The reasons why it is even more difficult for older women to report violence are varied and range from emotional to psychological and economic reasons: the inability to seek help due to disability or isolation, the fear of being marginalised by their families, the need to be cared for by their partners, and economic dependence.

Older women are particularly vulnerable when they find themselves in situations of social isolation. With no alternative, they do not leave their homes even when faced with violence from their family members.

FERPA calls on European institutions to promote concrete measures to significantly strengthen the prevention, identification and support of victims of abuse at home and in institutions. It calls for the implementation of personalised solutions, appropriate channels of redress and follow-up to collect and respond to situations of abuse.

To this end, FERPA calls for specific public investment in social services and local associations to build a network of family and friends around women to support them in their old age, including alternatives such as mutual aid or cohabitation projects between people of different ages and backgrounds.

On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, FERPA invites its member unions to organise initiatives and events that bring the importance of this issue and the urgency of addressing it back to the forefront of public attention, in light of the ongoing demographic transition.