Underlying societal factors are contributing to older adult homicide

After pooling dozens of cases involving violent crime against older people, researchers discovered that the most likely victims of homicide were women and they were most likely to be killed in their home.

The first comprehensive study into cases of homicide against older adults found that 46 per cent of victims were women aged over 65, compared with 26 per cent of younger victims.

Published last week by Monash University, the analysis revealed that a stranger was the perpetrator in almost a quarter of homicide cases, with 71 percent of violent crimes occurring from inside of the victim's property.

Lead author and PhD candidate Briohny Kennedy and Professor Joseph Ibrahim (Head of the Health, Law and Ageing Research Unit), joined Aged Care Insite to discuss the nature of older adult homicide. They also discuss the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns and what preventative measures can be taken to protect people over 65 from violent crime.

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