Sandra's powerpoint presentation

Friends Health Connection Webinar SeriesJuly 12, 2012

Sandra Harrell

Project Director, Accessing Safety Initiative

Vera Institute of Justice

Violence Against Women with Disabilities

• 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.

• 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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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

• 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.

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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.

• 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

• 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.

• 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

• January 12, 2012

Contact Information

Sandra Harrell

Director, Accessing Safety Initiative

Vera Institute of Justice

[email protected]

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