Vicarious violence in older adults in the Cuban context

Abstract

Vicarious violence constitutes a form of gender-based violence which causes emotional harm to the aggressor's primary target through third parties. Although the concept was initially coined within the framework of heterosexual intimate partner relationships, its analytical application has progressively extended to other vulnerable subjects, including older adults. This article examines vicarious violence as a social phenomenon in its expression toward the aging population, addressing its conceptual foundations, its manifestations in family and institutional contexts, and its particularities in the national setting, characterized by an accelerated demographic aging process and a regulatory framework still under construction regarding care. Drawing on an updated theoretical and bibliographic review, it is argued that age as an axis of inequality reinforces the invisibilization of this form of abuse, and that its recognition entails epistemological, legal, and public policy challenges that Cuba must urgently address. The article proposes a comprehensive conceptualization of vicarious violence against older adults, distinguishes two analytical vectors —the older person as instrumental victim and as the mediate target of harm— and lays the groundwork for future empirical research.