Older women experience sexual violence too, but their stories rarely make the news
The reality of sexual violence against older women is an issue that remains significantly underreported and misrepresented in Australia. Almost 50 sexual assaults occur every week in aged care. Sexual assault against older women is commonly perpetrated by intimate partners or someone they know.
Sexual violence against older women is a widespread issue in Australia that receives little attention in the media. Research has found that almost 50 sexual assaults occur each week in aged care facilities, yet these incidents rarely make the news. When they do, the coverage often focuses on graphic cases involving strangers, such as home invasions or public attacks, while neglecting the more common forms of sexual violence experienced by older women, like abuse from intimate partners or staff in aged care facilities.
The media tends to reinforce harmful stereotypes about aging and sexuality, portraying older women as vulnerable victims in need of protection, rather than as people with sexual rights and autonomy. This framing often casts perpetrators as monstrous individuals, making it seem like sexual violence against older women is an exceptional and aberrant problem.
Older women from racial or ethnic minorities face particularly harsh victim-blaming narratives, but even those who fit the stereotype of the frail, vulnerable "ideal victim" risk being overlooked in news coverage. Media reports rarely hold older women accountable for the sexual violence they experience, unlike coverage of younger women.
The consequences of this lack of media representation can be significant. Older women who experience sexual violence may not recognize what happened to them as assault, especially if it occurs within a marriage where rape was not yet a criminal offense. Additionally, the added challenges of aging, such as cognitive impairment or dementia, can make it harder for older women to come forward and have their experiences taken seriously.
To address these issues, the media needs to provide more inclusive and accurate coverage of sexual violence against older women. This includes recognizing older people's sexual rights and responsibilities, challenging stigma surrounding sexual violence in older populations, and bringing older women, victim-survivors, advocates, and experts into news coverage. Such a shift could help build a culture that takes sexual violence against older women seriously and works to prevent it.
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