Webinars

Survivors with disabilities who have immigrated to the United States face challenges in reporting victimization and receiving services. Language barriers, a lack of a support network in the United States, difficulties accessing services, and lack of knowledge of the criminal justice system or services available will pose barriers for immigrant survivors. When the survivor also… Read more »

Autistic people live in a society that was not designed for them: one in which they are often forced to conceal who they are and are unable to receive the accommodations they need. When Autistic people also experience victimization, they are more likely to experience barriers to accessing services, stigma, and a fundamental misunderstanding of… Read more »

People with disabilities are over-represented in our nation’s jails and prisons. And, most people who serve time in jail or prison were victims of some type of harm or abuse before they were convicted of a crime. This means that every year, many survivors with disabilities are returning to the community after a period of… Read more »

Over the last decade, great strides have been made to address violence against people with disabilities in communities across the country. However, many mainstream organizations may be less equipped to provide accessible, culturally responsive services to American Indian or Alaskan Native (AI/AN) survivors with disabilities. 2.9 million people in the United States identify as “American… Read more »

Culturally specific domestic violence and sexual assault programs have always known that when you create services by focusing on those in the margins, you end up with better services for everyone. When this is your core value, you also understand that to create services you focus your attention on those at the very edge of… Read more »

Survivors with disabilities often face economic barriers to services and healing. They may live on a limited income (either due to sub-minimum wage, Social Security, or SSI) that restricts their ability to save money or spend on services. They may have limited housing and transportation options. This webinar will review some of the ways that… Read more »

COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting survivors with disabilities. They are more likely to contract the virus, more likely to experience severe symptoms, and less likely to receive services, including advocacy services and health care. Now more than ever, these services provide a lifeline for survivors with disabilities and it is vital that access is maintained. In… Read more »

COVID-19 is requiring programs to rapidly adapt their advocacy for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The creative use of technology to serve survivors creates an opportunity to develop an approach to advocacy that can benefit survivors with disabilities and Deaf survivors in the long term. As these adaptations are taking place, it is critical… Read more »

There are many barriers for survivors of sexual assault who are seeking sexual assault medical forensic exam services to overcome- regardless of abilities. Those challenges can be compounded when the survivor has a disability. Service providers and medical professionals can help facilitate the process by ensuring an accessible process for all survivors. This webinar will… Read more »

Survivors of sexual violence with disabilities have unique needs when being interviewed as part of a criminal justice response. It is important that interviews balance a trauma informed approach with accessibility. Incorporating a trauma informed approach helps to reduce the possibility of revictimization. Ensuring that the interview is accessible may mean shorter interviews, interviews at… Read more »

Service animals are vital to some survivors with disabilities. They can provide independence and mobility and truly act as partners to their handlers. However, domestic violence shelters and other residential programs might struggle with how to: 1) interact with service animals; and 2) balance the presence of service animals with needs of other survivors. This… Read more »

Protection orders can help survivors of domestic violence to ensure the safety their selves, their family, and their property. For survivors with disabilities, there are barriers to applying for and receiving protection orders. To provide effective assistance in protection order cases, advocates and attorneys must identify the barriers that may arise and help clients overcome… Read more »

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and other international laws provide an international framework for serving survivors with disabilities safely and accessibly.  Anastasia Holoboff and her team studied the practices of programs around the world, including the United States, spoke to global experts at the intersection of violence and disability, and… Read more »

As we work to address domestic and sexual violence against people with disabilities, we should ensure that our work reaches all survivors with disabilities. By accounting for a variety of intersections of identities, we can ensure that all survivors are supported. This webinar will discuss the importance of centering racial equity in our work to… Read more »

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are 7 times more likely to experience sexual assault than people without disabilities and are also more likely to experience domestic violence. It is important that service providers such as chapters of The Arc are prepared to address victimization that may occur. The Office on Violence Against Women’s… Read more »

In a recent study, 31.6% of undergraduate females with disabilities reported nonconsensual sexual contact compared to 18.4% of undergraduate females without a disability (Association of American Universities Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct, 2017). Despite this increased likelihood of sexual assault on campus, survivors with disabilities continue to be underserved by programs… Read more »

Survivors of domestic or sexual violence with disabilities face barriers in receiving services, but when they live in a rural community, they may have an even more difficult time receiving accessible services. Local culture around disability, limited accessible transportation options, a lack of confidentiality, and the fact that there are fewer available resources are all… Read more »

Blind survivors face unique barriers when seeking services after experiencing domestic or sexual violence. These barriers can impact intake, service provision, and referrals. They may include a lack of materials available in screen reader accessible format or Braille, a lack of understanding about the unique dynamics of violence in the lives of Blind survivors, a… Read more »

This webinar is designed to help grantees recognize the unique perspectives and traits of their collaborations and how those unique aspects have contributed, and can contribute, to their success in the Disability Grant Program.

People with disabilities are more likely to experience domestic and sexual violence than people without disabilities. Society has traditionally responded to this increased likelihood of violence by limiting the choices that people with disabilities can make, using strategies such as institutionalization, mandatory reporting, and guardianship. Limiting the amount of autonomy people with disabilities have, however,… Read more »

Survivors of domestic violence face barriers within the family court and child welfare systems. When a parent is a survivor with a disability, the odds of losing custody of their child(ren) increase exponentially. As of 2012, 35 states still listed disability as grounds for termination of parental rights even without evidence of abuse or neglect…. Read more »

This webinar is designed to help grantees new to the Disability Grant Program understand some of the best practices and lessons learned in the Grant Program, as presented by other grantees.

This webinar will explore strategies for service providers when working with people with mental health disabilities as well as potential solutions to overcome common concerns and ensure access to a wide range of services for all survivors. Register for the webinar by clicking the calendar icon to the right of this description or going to… Read more »

This webinar provides an overview of the Performance Indicators to assist organizations in measuring their capacity and commitment to serve survivors with disabilities and Deaf survivors.

Trauma can have a lasting effect on a person’s mental, emotional, and even physical states. When a person has an intellectual or developmental disability, the impact of trauma can be even more pronounced and unique methods for addressing the trauma are necessary. This webinar will explore the complicated manifestation of trauma in individuals with I/DD… Read more »

Join us in the webinar to learn more about violence against people with disabilities and Deaf people as well as the Disability Grant Program, a source of funding for organizations looking to ensure that their services are safe and accessible.

This webinar welcomed 2018 grantees to the Disability Grant Program and provided them with initial next steps following the in-person New Grantee Orientation.

This webinar explores the importance of policies to ensure effective and safe services for all people served when there is domestic violence amongst service providers as well as some important considerations when developing a related policy at your organization.

This webinar reviews the need for sexuality education for people with disabilities, issues around consent to sex for people with disabilities, how to talk to people with disabilities about consent, and resources for discussing sexuality with people with disabilities with the ultimate goal of promoting safe and autonomous sexual relationships.

This webinar provides an overview of how to facilitate the effective participation of self-advocates at the intersection of violence and disability as well as some of the benefits of ensuring that the movement is centered around their lived experiences.

When serving survivors with disabilities, there are additional services that a survivor might need assistance accessing, such as federal disability benefits and supportive housing. This webinar provides information on how to connect survivors with disabilities to these necessary resources.

This webinar provides information on violence against Deaf people as well as strategies for ensuring language access for Deaf survivors seeking services.

Navigating the legal system can be challenging in the best of circumstances. When you also have a disability, additional barriers will arise. This webinar explores best practices for legal advocates as well as innovative ideas to help survivors with disabilities and Deaf survivors navigate the legal system.

Victims of sexual or domestic violence come from every race, ethnicity, and background imaginable. One of the most challenging aspects of serving survivors is ensuring that you are providing culturally competent services to all, no matter what their background. This webinar explores the complicated goal of providing culturally specific services to survivors with disabilities.

This webinar provides an overview of mandatory reporting in the context of sexual and domestic violence and some of the unique dynamics that arise when a survivor of sexual or domestic violence has a disability.

This webinar is a primer on the how to best serve a survivor who has a guardian – including issues of confidentiality and information on how to approach the situation when the guardian is the perpetrator of violence. Practical tips will be provided on how to maintain a survivor-centered approach when the survivor has a… Read more »