Feeling Safe, Feeling Strong : Support Groups for Older Abused Women

Too often, older women experience the heartache of being hurt by someone they love. These women may be isolated and unaware of community resources. Support groups can provide older abused women with support, information, friendship, and hope —a place to feel safe and strong. Based on interviews with 34 support group facilitators, this article describes (a) the logistics of identifying projects, (b) the benefits of support groups for older abused women, (c) the characteristics of existing groups, (d) the challenges of starting a support group, and (e) principles for working with older abused women.