Violence against the elderly occurs in all spheres of life. The socio-economic status of older people is not important when it comes to violence. Violence is in fact a violation of human rights and represents a responsibility for society and the individual. Violence against the elderly is a social problem and the consequences are evident in all areas of social life. Older people are vulnerable, sensitive and specific. There is still not enough information and research on this topic to have a more accurate idea of how much abuse and neglect is really present in Croatia today. Various factors contribute to elder abuse. Most often, older people become dependent on someone else's help due to illness or weakness, so they isolate themselves from other people. Violence against the elderly usually remains hidden because the elderly do not report it due to certain obstacles. For this reason, it is difficult to determine how common violence against the elderly is, as well as to examine that violence. Abuse can be unintentional or intentional, and someone can be abused financially, physically, mentally, socially, spiritually, and by neglect. Violence can be divided according to where it takes place and the manner of violent behavior. It can take place in the privacy of the home, in the institution and structurally. For older people living in their own homes, violence may be related to their dependence on family members. In institutions, abuse may be related to the poor behavior of the carer on whom the elderly person depends. Structural violence takes place within society. This paper explains what violence against the elderly is and what the rights of the elderly are. Violence will also be defined through theoretical models, with an emphasis on specific risks for violence and forms of violence. The paper describes the difference between violence against the elderly in the family and institutions and what is the role of caregivers in recognizing violence. With the help of previous research presented through this paper, it is shown how much older people are exposed to violence. The aim of this paper is to find out what are the signs that reveal violence, why violence has occurred and to whom all violence should be reported, and how to behave preventively. The purpose of this paper is to raise awareness about violence against the elderly and to raise public awareness about violence against the elderly.