Citation

Gichaz M, Winterstein TB, Avieli H. Gerontologist 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/geront/gnab102

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The long-term effect of intra-familial sexual abuse for the survivors' parenting, rarely focuses on older women who are mothers of adult children. The aim of the present study was to explore the parenthood experiences of aging women survivors of intra-familial sexual abuse, using the life-course perspective as a conceptual framework. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Interpretive phenomenological analysis was used to analyze the narratives of 19 older women survivors of intra-familial sexual abuse.

RESULTS: The narratives revealed four themes: (1) "How did I raise those kids? I really don't know": Early parenthood experiences of aging women incest survivors; (2) "This is a true gift they are giving me now": Revealing the IFSA secret to the adult children; (3) "Is it possible to say that something good came out of it?": Adult children as a victory over incest experiences; and (4) "When my granddaughter was born, I suddenly felt that I couldn't go near her": Grandparenting in the shadow of incest memories.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Aging seems to open up a new avenue for parent-child relationships in the shadow of the parent's traumatic past, allowing reframing of parenthood in later life and demonstrating the power of parenthood as a source of healing in the lives of sexual abuse victims.

Language: en

Keywords

Qualitative study; Intra-familial sexual abuse; Life course perspective; Older survivors; Parenthood