Abuse of People with Disabilities
If the world was a perfect place, we would care for those people who are least able to care for themselves. After all, who could possibly beat a child who is physically handicapped, emotionally disturbed or mentally ill? How could someone sexually assault a woman who is mentally retarded and unable to speak?
SEXUAL ABUSE OF WOMEN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
This is not a favorite topic of anyone we know, but it is crucial that families and staff member be aware of this issue. While exact statistics vary from one study to another all of them are clear that women with developmental disabilities are much more likely to be sexually assaulted than women without disabilities. There are a lot of reasons for this – they are less able to communicate to report assault so the abuser feels safer, they are put into contact with many different people due to the many services they receive, because of their disability, these women often receive physical contact from caregivers, due to high staff turnover, this care may be provided by people who are relative strangers. In one study, the largest proportion (27.5%) of sexual assaults were by special service providers.
For more information, click on the link below:
Faces of Violence Against Women with Developmental Disabilities
We highly recommend you click on this link to the article by Focht-New on treatment of people with developmental disabilities who have been victims of abuse.
Assessing, detecting and treating abuse. Beyond Abuse: Treatment Approaches for People With Disabilities, Part 2
by Virginia Focht-New, MSN, RN
Reprinted from Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 1996, Vol. 17(5), pp. 427-438, (Taylor & Francis, 1996. Used with permission)
If you haven’t time to read it (although we think you should) here are a few key points.
Be aware of changes in behavior, especially with people who have difficulty communicating verbally. If a person has crying spells, hits others or is aggressive in other ways (such as spitting, biting) or begins hitting or biting himself, all of these may be signs of a problem. Many individuals with developmental disabilities may already show this type of behavior, but if it becomes much more frequent, that, too, should be noted.
It is easier to spot signs of abuse or other concerns when there is at least one person who has a long period of experience working with an individual. Unfortunately, many people with developmental disabilities may have as many as ten different caretakers a year. They also may have caretakers who work in shifts and don’t talk to one another much. If you are the one person who has worked with an individual for a long time, even if you are not the staff member with the most degrees or professional experience, please speak up and voice any concerns. You may be the only voice that individual has. If you suspect abuse, try to increase the supervision of any staff members working with the individual concerned. Also, try to keep a record of as much information as possible.
Other types of abuse