It’s often said that society ‘protects the vulnerable’. Yet when it comes to older adults and sexual violence, that protection can be invisible - not because the experiences don’t exist, but because they are too often hidden, misunderstood, or dismissed. The September 2025 roundtable convened by the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales exposed this stark truth: older people experience sexual violence and abuse in all its forms, yet current systems frequently fail to recognise their needs, respond effectively to disclosures, or deliver trauma‑informed support.

Why This Matters

Sexual violence doesn’t age out. Yet cultural assumptions - about age, sexuality, vulnerability, and even consent — shape how professionals, families, and communities perceive older people. These assumptions can silence survivors and shape the systems that should support them.

Participants at the roundtable, researchers, practitioners, and advocates — emphasised that older survivors’ experiences range widely: from long‑buried childhood abuse still casting long shadows, to recent victimisation in care environments, personal relationships, or community settings.

Spotlight: Abuse by Adult Children - An Overlooked Issue

While much of the conversation on older adults and sexual violence focuses on strangers, partners, or institutional settings, abuse by adult children toward their older parents remains largely invisible. This can include emotional, financial, physical, or even sexual harm, and survivors often face unique barriers to disclosure — from shame and fear of retaliation to complex family loyalties.

Bringing these experiences into research, training, and policy is essential. Recognising child-to-parent abuse ensures that safeguarding systems are truly inclusive, that practitioners are aware of all sources of harm, and that older survivors can access support without fear or stigma.

“Older people may suffer abuse from the very people society assumes will protect them. Their voices must be heard.”

But disclosure remains a seismic hurdle. Shame, generations of silence around sexual topics, ageist assumptions that older people are asexual or not at risk, and fear of not being believed all contribute to under-reporting and hidden suffering.

The Reality of Barriers:

Some of the key issues identified include:

• Ageist assumptions: Practitioners may unconsciously believe older people don’t have sexual lives, can’t be victims, or are “protected” by their adult children, leading to missed opportunities to ask the right questions or recognise warning signs.

• Systemic fragmentation: Safeguarding, health, social care, and violence prevention sectors often operate separately. This can leave older survivors - including those experiencing child-to-parent abuse - bouncing between services, repeating their trauma without meaningful support.

• Training gaps: Professionals in frontline roles acknowledge a lack of confidence and training to address the complexity of these cases - especially where factors like dementia, long-term trauma, or family-based abuse are involved.

• Data blind spots: The absence of age-specific and disaggregated data means policymakers and service commissioners lack the evidence needed to plan effective responses, including for abuse perpetrated by adult children.

A Human-Centred Lens

What emerged clearly from the roundtable conversations was this: older survivors tell their stories slowly — and often cautiously. They may only disclose through sustained, trusting relationships built over time. Fragmented services that prioritise quick assessments and outputs work against the relational support these survivors need.

Practitioners highlighted how older people may reveal experiences piece by piece. Building trust - listening patiently, without judgment or rushed agendas - is foundational. This approach challenges the traditional “welfare-first” model that assumes vulnerability and incapacity, instead fostering partnership, choice, and agency.

From Awareness to Action

The roundtable didn’t stop at challenges - it sketched a path forward. Some of the crucial areas for action include:

• Targeted, lived-experience research to deepen our understanding of older survivors’ needs and what works in practice, including experiences of abuse from adult children.
• Centralised, disaggregated data systems that make invisible experiences visible, informing policy and service design.
• Awareness and training programmes for professionals, grounded in gerontology, trauma-informed care, and anti-ageism.
• Reimagined service pathways that prioritise continuity, relational practice, and accessibility - including one-stop models where medical, psychological, legal, and social support can co-exist.
• Communication strategies that speak directly to older adults, using language that resonates, and that reflect their diverse identities and experiences.
• Looking Ahead: Addressing Overlooked Experiences:

While the roundtable highlighted many important aspects of older survivors’ experiences - including the lifelong impacts of childhood abuse... ongoing gaps remain. Integrating child-to-parent abuse into research, training, and service design is vital. Recognising these experiences can strengthen safeguarding systems, improve practitioner awareness, and ensure that all survivors’ voices are heard — regardless of the source of harm.

We owe older survivors more than procedural responses. We owe them listening, respect, and systems that reflect the full complexity of their lives, histories, and hopes.

Because ending sexual violence and abuse at any age isn’t just about better services — it’s about affirming dignity, restoring trust, and ensuring no voice remains unheard.

Please note, this blog is based on a summary produced by the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales. It is a free and valuable resource for anyone wanting to learn more about this topic.

You can download the document below to explore the full summary and find out more.