Ethical and methodological issues in violence against elderly people: an intersection between sociological

Although violence against the elderly does not constitute a new problem, it has been acquiring greater social visibility in Portuguese society. The present paper forms part of the Portuguese Aging and Violence research study and aims to critically examine ethical and methodological issues present during its pilot phase. The institutional and legal procedures are presented and the ethical strategies designed to safeguard confidentiality and protection of participants are discussed. The project foresees different phases that raise similar and differentiated ethical and legal questions arising from the methods adopted. More specifically in the pilot phase, where in-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted, several ethical dilemmas emerged. Overall these are linked to the intersection between meeting research goals (strategies used to deal with participants and maximize response rates) and respecting the rights of the participants (confidentiality, privacy and physical and psychological safety). The ethical dilemmas and solutions provided by the research team are also relevant to and implicit within the second phase of the research project: a general population prevalence survey and a victim survey.Foundation for Science and Technology (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) in Portuga