The ROSE Project
Project Details
By the year 2050, a quarter of Australia's population will be aged over 65, most of them women. Many of these older women will be impacted by sexual violence, to the serious detriment of their health and well-being. Despite this, there is a tendency to view sexual violence as an issue affecting only younger women, neglecting the voices and needs of women in later life.
The ROSE project aims to change this.
Funded by the Australian Research Council, this project will:
1) Explore how sexual violence against older women is reported in the media and addressed by the legal system;
2) Use life history case studies to examine the impacts of sexual violence on older women over time; and
3) Undertake interviews and photo elicitation with older women victim/survivors to understand their experiences and what justice and healing means to them.
Findings will help to:
- Strengthen trauma-informed responses across health, justice and social services
- Ensure that policies are inclusive
- Address ageist attitudes in the community
- Promote help-seeking for victim/survivors
Project Lead
Research Team Members
Dr Mandy McKenzie
Dr Fiona Giles
Collaborators
Prof Deb Loxton (University of Newcastle)
Prof Heather Douglas (University of Melbourne Law School)
A/Prof Bianca Fileborn (University of Melbourne Criminology)