From the hidden to the gendered problem: a state-of-the-art review of studies on abuse and violence towards elder people in the Global North (1970-2020)

Abstract

This article presents a state-of-the-art review of health and social science studies on violence towards elder people commited in the Global North between 1970 and 2020. First, the initial concern over the so- called hidden problem of abuse of elder people (1970- 1980) is reviewed; second, its conformation as a public problem (1980-2000) is analyzed; and third, the emergence of feminist positioning on abuse and violence towards elder people as a gendered problem (1990-2020) is addressed. In the final considerations, some reflections on this investigative journey, focusing on the feminist contributions to this field of study are presented.