February 2017 Violence Against People With Disabilities and Deaf People 101 Sandra Harrell Center on Victimization and Safety The Vera Institute of Justice 2017 End Abuse of People with Disabilities Webinar Series 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 and the field. What We Know… > Incidence & Prevalence > Unique Dynamics of Violence > Impacts for Survivors with Disabilities > Barriers to Access Assistance and Support > Opportunities for Change Incidence and Prevalence Incidence and Prevalence > Limited research exists > Research has documented that some people with disabilities experience increased risk of domestic and sexual violence compared to people without disabilities > Cannot generalize findings to all people with disabilities > However, persons with disabilities are 14.2% of the population but are twice as likely to be a victim of a violent crime*1 Incidence and Prevalence cont’d… > Women who have experienced intimate partner violence are more than twice as likely to also report a disability2 > 14% of men with disabilities reported experiencing sexual violence at some point in their life time compared to 4% of men without disabilities3 > 49% of people with developmental disabilities were assaulted 10 or more times4 > 20% of Deaf adults have experienced physical abuse by an intimate partner. 15% have experienced forced sex in an intimate partner relationship5 Unique Dynamics of Violence Survivors Often Experience… > Fear of retaliation and/ or retribution > Fear that they will not be believed > Embarrassment or shame > Don’t know about safe and supportive resources in their community > Fear of loss of support system (friends, family, etc.) Dynamics Unique to People with Disabilities: Cultural > Denial of information about healthy relationships > Systematic oppression of people with disabilities (isolation, exploitation, marginalization) > Lack of confidentiality: • Small, close knit communities • Guardians • Mandatory reporting policies Dynamics Unique to People with Disabilities: Systems Level > Lack of confidentiality due to legal requirements, such as mandatory reporting and guardianship laws > Disability organizations are often not equipped to address victimization and support survivors > Traditional victim services organizations are often inaccessible and their services are not tailored to meet the unique needs of people with disabilities > Response of related systems (APS, criminal justice system) Dynamics Unique to People with Disabilities: Individual > Some perpetrators use tactics that expressly target people with disabilities and Deaf people > Fear of institutionalization > Loss of personal care and other services > Lack of accessible transportation > May not know what they experienced is abusive and/or criminal > May have experienced violence throughout their lives by multiple perpetrators Perpetrators 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 disability6 > Caregivers > Attendants > Drivers > Family members > Partners, Girlfriends, Boyfriends > Acquaintances Perpetrator Tactics (Sexual Violence) > “Grooming” for abuse > Exploiting trusting nature > Taking advantage of denial of sexual education or knowledge > Targeting them for perceived vulnerabilities > Becoming a relied-upon, or primary, caregiver before beginning the abuse Perpetrator Tactics (Domestic Violence) > Becoming a relied-upon, or primary, caregiver before beginning the abuse > Giving her drugs without her knowledge, forcing her to take drugs or medication, or giving her more than was prescribed > Threatening, injuring or scaring away service animal > Using transportation options for stalking route > Hiding mobility devices or putting them right out of her reach > Attacking before she can sense what is coming. > Threatening, injuring or scaring away her service animal Perpetrator Tactics (Domestic Violence and Deaf People) > Exploiting the smallness of the Deaf community > Stealing or destroying communication or adaptive equipment so the individual can’t call for help > Using hearing privilege Impact and Barriers Impact for Survivors with Disabilities > Loss of autonomy, independence • System may respond by removing personal care attendant, changing housing, appointing a guardian because they cannot protect themselves > Psychological impact • PTSD, rape trauma syndrome, trauma responses such as “flight, fight, or freeze” > Physical impact • Exacerbation of disability 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 Barriers to Access Assistance and Support, con’t… > 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 >Fewer transportation options may impact safety planning Barriers for Deaf Survivors > 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 Strategies for Change General Strategies for Change > Promote equality and create inclusion > Build partnerships > Raise awareness and foster accountability > Strengthen prevention > Increase research and evaluation > Enhance Services Strategies for Change in Your Community > Advocate to ensure other community resources are accessible > Advocate to ensure other community resources are safe and welcoming > Promote partnerships between violence against women agencies and disability and Deaf organizations Strategies for Change Within Your Violence Against Women Organization > Provide reasonable accommodations > Budget for accessibility > Make sure services are accessible > Enhance policies to be welcoming and inclusive of women with disabilities and Deaf women > Make agency materials available in alternative formats > Incorporate disability and Deaf – specific images and information in program materials > Use welcoming and inclusive language Strategies for Change Within Your Disability Organization > Create a private space to discuss her experiences/needs > Enhance policies to be welcoming and inclusive of women with disabilities and Deaf women > Ensure that you are conveying that environment is safe ALL organizations can also… > Actively recruit and retain board members, staff, and volunteers who have disabilities > Provide on-going training opportunities on violence against women with disabilities and Deaf women Strategies When Providing Services to Survivors with Disabilities and Deaf Survivors > Avoid victim-blaming language > Focus on her as a whole person > Be flexible and allow for more time > Ask how you can best meet her needs > 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 > Tailor programming to meet the unique realities, perpetrator tactics, and barriers > Follow basic etiquette for interacting with people with disabilities and Deaf people National Resources > End Abuse of People with Disabilities website: www.endabusepwd.org > National Council on Independent Living, Task Force on Violence and Abuse of People with Disabilities: www.ncil.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 Citations 1 National Center for Victims of Crime (2016). “Crimes Against Persons with Disabilities” https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw2016/content/section6/ PDF/2016NCVRW_6_PersonsWithDisabilities-508.pdf 2 Corker, Ann L., Smith, Paige H., and Fadden, Mary K. (2005). “Intimate Partner Violence and Disabilities Among Women Attending Family Practice Clinics. Journal of Women’s Health, 14(9): 829-838. 3 2005-2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System https://www.cdc.gov/brfss/ 4 Sobsey, D. & Doe, T. (1991). Patterns of sexual abuse and assault. Sexuality and Disability, 9 (3), 243-259. 5 Harrell, E. (2015). Crimes against persons with disabilities, 2009–2013 – statistical tables. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics. NCJ 248676. https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/capd0913st.pdf 6 Balderian, N. (1991). Sexual abuse of people with developmental disabilities. Sexuality and Disability, 9(4), 323-335. Contact Information Sandra Harrell Associate Director, Center on Victimization and Safety Vera Institute of Justice sharrell@vera.org