MARVOW

Multi-Agency Response to Violence Against Older Women (MARVOW) is a two-year EU project – from September 2019 to September 2021 – with a project team of six partner organisations in four European countries: Austria, Estonia, Greece and Germany. MARVOW is coordinated by the Association of Autonomous Austrian Women’s Shelters – AÖF in Austria. More info: www.marvow.eu

Background: Violence against older women is a gender-specific and serious social problem. The extent and frequency of this violence is enormous. According to the FRA survey of 2014, 19% of all women over 60 years of age have experienced violence in the partnership from the age of 15. In 17%, the violence was not committed by the partner. But only 14% of women reported the most serious incident to the police. The number of unreported cases is estimated to be much higher. Older women are exposed to a higher risk of violence: Because they are old, female, often affected by years of partner violence, face various forms of discrimination throughout their lives, face specific and complex disadvantages and are often economically very dependent – especially if they are already in need of care. However, precisely these dimensions of gender-based violence are often overlooked.

MARVOW is intended to work more closely together at the regional level to close the gaps and deficits in the violence and victim support system and to improve the situation for older women who have been victims of violence. The aim is to establish a multi-institutional platform for older victims of violence and perpetrators of violence against older women – together with those organisations and authorities that deal specifically with older women affected by violence.

Project Leaflet in English, Estonian, Greek, German, and Russian.

Training materials (.ppt/slides) on Multi-Agency Cooperation in English, Estonian, Greek, German, and Russian.

Project partnership:

Association of Autonomous Austrian Women’s Shelters (AÖF), Austria, Maria Rösslhumer, maria.roesslhumer@aoef.at
Union of Women Associations of Heraklion Prefecture (UWAH), Greece, Nicholas Spetsidis, projects@kakopoiisi.gr
Women’s Support and Information Centre, Estonia, Pille Tsopp-Pagan, pille.tsopp-pagan@naistetugi.ee
University of Tartu, Estonia, Olena Sologub, olena.sologub@ut.ee
European Network for the Work with Perpetrators of Domestic Violence/ Work with Perpetrators e.V. Francesca Elsey francesca.elsey@work-with-perpetrators.eu
Women against Violence Europe (WAVE), Austria, Elena Floriani, elena.floriani@wave-network.org

NPO Women’s Support and Information Centre’s self-financing in the project is co-funded by National Foundation of Civil Society with 10 000 euros.