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Elder abuse is a long-standing but often overlooked form of family violence and systemic harm. As Victoria’s population continues to age, it is critical that we recognise and respond to it as a serious public health and human rights issue driven by structural power imbalances and social inequality.
Effectively addressing elder abuse means moving beyond individual or neutral approaches to prevention and care. It requires understanding how broader social systems and inequalities shape people’s experiences.
This guide has been developed to support practitioners, policymakers, and organisations across various sectors. These include family violence, aged care, disability, legal, health, housing, and social services, all working to adopt an intersectional approach to elder abuse prevention and response.
It recognises that older people are not a single, uniform group. Their experiences of ageing, care, and abuse are shaped by the intersections of ageism with other systems of oppression such as racism, sexism, ableism, homelessness, classism, intersex stigma, homophobia, and transphobia.
An intersectional lens helps us understand that elder abuse is not necessarily the result of personal conflict or individual circumstances. It is deeply connected to broader social hierarchies that are reinforced in both relationships and institutions. Older people are not inherently vulnerable; rather, their vulnerability is produced through systemic barriers, social exclusion, and the misuse of power by others.
Throughout this guide, we emphasise the importance of structural analysis, inclusive practice, and systemic accountability. We also highlight the need to challenge assumptions in mainstream service models and respond to the specific needs of communities that are often overlooked, such as migrants and refugees, the diverse community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, and asexual people (LGBTIQA+), and people with disability.
COTA Victoria and Seniors Rights Victoria hope this guide supports a shift in how organisations engage with older people – toward approaches that are person-centred, equity-driven, and grounded in justice. We invite all those working in this space to reflect on their own practices, address power imbalances, and commit to meaningful, systemic change.
This document was produced by COTA Victoria and Seniors Rights Victoria, in consultation with the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria, Safe + Equal, Switchboard, and the Victorian Council of Social Services. Examples and case studies, provided by Seniors Rights Victoria, have been anonymised.
COTA Victoria and Seniors Rights Victoria are supported by financial assistance from the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments.