Slide 1
Friends Health Connection Webinar SeriesJuly 12, 2012
Sandra Harrell
Project Director, Accessing Safety Initiative
Vera Institute of Justice
Violence Against Women with Disabilities
Slide 2 • January 12, 2012
Today, we will…
>Explore what we know about domestic and sexual violence in the lives of individuals with disabilities and Deaf people.
>Discuss implications for your work in your collaborations.
Slide 3 • January 12, 2012
What We Know About VAWD
Incidence & Prevalence
Unique Dynamics of Violence
Impacts for Survivors with Disabilities
Barriers to Access Assistance and Support
Opportunities for Change
Slide 4 • January 12, 2012
Incidence and Prevalence
>Limited research exists.
>Research has documented that some women with disabilities experience increased risk of domestic and sexual violence compared to women without disabilities.
>Cannot generalize findings to all women with disabilities.
Slide 5 • January 12, 2012
Incidence and Prevalence cont’d…
>In one study, women with and without disabilities experienced equally high rates of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.
>A few important differences for women with disabilities existed, though.
>They reported a larger number of perpetrators.
>The duration of their abuse was longer than women without disabilities.
Source: Center for Research on Women with Disabilities, Baylor.
Slide 6 • January 12, 2012
Incidence and Prevalence cont’d…
>People with developmental disabilities are four to ten times more likely than people without disabilities to be sexually assaulted and they are at greater risk for repeat victimization.
>76% of adults with cognitive disabilities have been sexually assaulted.
>49% of people with developmental disabilities were assaulted 10 or more times.
Sources: Sobsey, D. Violence and Abuse in the Lives of People with Disabilities: The End of Silent
Acceptance? 1994. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
Slide 7 • January 12, 2012
Unique Dynamics of Violence
>Women with disabilities and Deaf women experience unique dynamics of violence.
>Some perpetrators use tactics that expressly target women with disabilities and Deaf women.
Slide 8 • January 12, 2012
Perpetrators
>The vast majority of perpetrators are known and hold positions of power or authority.
>44% of perpetrators have a relationship with the individual because of their disability.
>Caregivers
>Attendants
>Drivers
>Family members
>Partners, Girlfriends, Boyfriends
>Acquaintances
Slide 9 • January 12, 2012
Perpetrator Tactics
>Mobility disabilities>Becoming a relied-upon, or primary, caregiver before
assaulting her
>Threatening, injuring or scaring away her service animal
>Using her transportation options to stalk her/know her route
>Hiding her mobility devices or putting them right out of her reach
>Sensory disabilities>Attacking before she can sense what is coming.
>Threatening, injuring or scaring away her service animal
>Stealing her adaptive equipment so she can’t call for or get to help.
Slide 10 • January 12, 2012
Perpetrator Tactics, cont’d…
>Deaf
>Exploiting the smallness of the Deaf community.
>Stealing or destroying her communication devices so she can’t call for or get to help.
>Using hearing privilege
>Psychiatric disabilities
>Telling her she won’t be believed
>Telling her she is crazy
>Giving her drugs without her knowledge, forcing her to take drugs or medication, or giving her more than was prescribed
Slide 11 • January 12, 2012
Perpetrator Tactics, cont’d…
>Developmental disabilities
>“Grooming” her for abuse
>Exploiting her trusting nature
>Taking advantage of her lack of sexual education or knowledge
Slide 12 • January 12, 2012
Impacts for Survivors with Disabilities
>Fear of retribution/retaliation
>Fear of institutionalization
>Fear of not being believed, particularly if reporting to law enforcement
>Loss of personal care and other services
>Lack of mobility and/or transportation
>May not know what they experienced is abusive and/or criminal
Slide 13 • January 12, 2012
Impacts for Survivors with Disabilities, cont’d…
>Fear of people reporting/mandatory reporting
>History of reports not being followed through on
>Loss of independence
>Loss of right to self-determination
>May create a more unsafe situation for the survivor with a disability
Slide 14 • January 12, 2012
Barriers to Access Assistance and Support
>Barriers exist in domestic and sexual violence programs, health care settings, the criminal justice system, and other areas for these survivors.
>Physical barriers
>Communication barriers
>Attitudinal barriers
>Service providers may lack knowledge of disability in general
>Policies in place may prevent survivors with disabilities from using the services
Slide 15 • January 12, 2012
Barriers to Access Assistance and Support, cont’d…
>Barriers exist in disability programs for survivors
>Barriers to disclosures of violence and abuse
>Mandatory reports
>Lack of privacy at intake
>Serving both abusers and survivors
Slide 16 • January 12, 2012
Barriers to Access Assistance and Support, cont’d…
>Barriers exist in community resources for women with disabilities and Deaf women
>Fewer transportation options may impact safety planning
>Physical buildings may be inaccessible
>Personal care services
>Access to assistive technology
Slide 17 • January 12, 2012
Barriers, cont’d…
>Barriers exist in serving Deaf survivors
>Community of ASL interpreters is often small and tight knit
>Disability services may not have strong connection to the Deaf community
>Deaf services may focus exclusively on communication access – not fully on the range of violence and abuse
>Crisis line workers may be unfamiliar with TTY or VRS
>Access to Deaf Advocates or Certified Deaf Interpreters may be limited
>Sense of isolation when living in a shelter
>Lack of understanding of Deaf Culture
Slide 18 • January 12, 2012
General Strategies for Working with Survivors with Disabilities and Deaf Survivors
>Follow basic etiquette for interacting with people with disabilities and Deaf people.
>Avoid victim-blaming language
>Use welcoming and inclusive language
>Ensure that you are conveying that environment is safe
>Ask how you can best meet her needs
>Create a private space to discuss her experiences/needs
Slide 19 • January 12, 2012
General Strategies for Working with Survivors with Disabilities and Deaf Survivors, cont’d…
>Provide reasonable accommodations
>Focus on her as a whole person
>Be flexible and allow for more time
>Advocate to ensure other community resources are accessible
>Advocate to ensure other community resources are safe and welcoming
Slide 20 • January 12, 2012
Opportunities For Change in Violence Against Women Organizations
>Budget for accessibility
>Make sure services are accessible
>Enhance policies to be welcoming and inclusive of women with disabilities and Deaf women
>Incorporate disability and Deaf – specific images and information in program materials
Slide 21 • January 12, 2012
Opportunities For Change in Violence Against Women Organizations, cont’d…
>Make agency materials available in alternative formats
>Actively recruit and retain board members, staff, and volunteers who have disabilities
>Promote partnerships between violence against women agencies and disability and Deaf organizations.
Slide 22 • January 12, 2012
Opportunities For Change in Disability and Deaf Organizations
>Include line items that would allow for emergency housing or other safety planning needs
>Indicate safe ways to talk about violence or abuse in your program materials
>Enhance policies to be responsive to survivors and disclosures of violence and abuse
Slide 23 • January 12, 2012
Opportunities For Change in Disability and Deaf Organizations, cont’d…
>Provide on-going training opportunities on violence against women with disabilities and Deaf women
>Promote partnerships between violence against women agencies and disability and Deaf
organizations.
Slide 24 • January 12, 2012
National Resources
>Accessing Safety Initiative’s website: www.accessingsafety.org
>U.S. Department of Justice’s ADA home page: www.ada.gov
>National Sexual Violence Resource Center: www.nsvrc.org
>Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center: www.dbtac.vcu.edu
>National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: www.ncadv.org
>Job Accommodation Network: www.jan.wvu.edu
Slide 25 • January 12, 2012
Contact Information
Sandra Harrell
Director, Accessing Safety Initiative
Vera Institute of Justice
