Interviewing Victims withDisabilities: Identifying Gaps and Best Practices December Guzzo, MSW Forensic Interviewer/coordinator National Children’s Advocacy Center Setting the Stage: Barriers to Safe and Accessible Interviews for Victims with Disabilities People with Disabilities at Increased Risk for Victimization • People with disabilities are 3X more likely to experience violent victimization, including sexual assault. • People with intellectual disabilities are up to 12x more likely to experience sexual victimization. Victimization is Underreported • Only 37.3% said they had reported it to the authorities. • About 58% believed that nothing would happen ifthey reported; 38% had been threatened or wereafraid; 33% did not know how or where to report. • When victims with disabilities did report incidents of abuse to authorities, in 52.9% of cases nothing happened. Alleged perpetrators were arrested inonly 9.8% of cases where abuse was reported to authorities. Baladerian, N., Coleman, T. & Stream, J. (2013). A Report on the 2012 National Survey on Abuse of People with Disabilities. Spectrum Institute’s Disability and Abuse Project, CA. Misconceptions about people with disabilities can lead to victimization • Societal norms of how people with disabilities should be controlled and protected, as well as stripped of power, creates an environment ripe for violence, abuse, and neglect. • People in positions of power can take advantage of that power to harm people with disabilities. • A person with a disability is often placed in situations where others may have power or control over them. Misconceptions (2) • People with disabilities may experience a variety of power dynamics that can contribute to their victimization, including: ØAge (someone older or younger taking advantage of their age); ØUse of Institutional Power/Position (someone using a position of power); ØGuardianship (a guardian using their power); ØPrivilege (using other types of privilege [race, gender, sexuality, etc.] as power). Barriers to reporting • Victims with disabilities are traditionally more isolated than victims without disabilities, may have fewer avenues for disclosures. • Victims with disabilities may face communication barriers. ØVictims with disabilities may not communicate in the way that professionals expect or easily understand. • Victims with disabilities may have experienced disbelief from authorities in the past, making them hesitate to report. Barriers to reporting (2) • Victims with disabilities are usually denied education about healthy sexuality and healthy relationships before and after victimization occurs. ØThey may not know the behavior they are experiencing is “wrong” or how to respond to it. • Belief that people with disabilities are not victimized. • Belief that people with disabilities are not good reporters of what happened to them. Barriers: chat • What barriers have you seen for victims with disabilities in reporting their victimization? Gaps in Interviewing Victims with Disabilities Gap #1: Protocols not designed for adults • Current protocols for interviewing adult victims with disabilities are modeled off of protocols for children with disabilities ØDefault reliance on child advocacy centers • Equates adults with disabilities to children when, in reality, adults have different needs than children • Assumes vulnerability and infantilizes adults Gap #2: No protocol used for various types of interviews • There are different types of interviews, including: ØMinimal facts ØFirst responder contact ØForensic interview • Interviews are conducted by various players in the system, at various points in the system and are not consistent for people with disabilities Gap #3: Pre-interview stage is not designed for adults with disabilities • Fact gathering is not designed to elicit information from the victim when a person has a disability • Over-reliance on third party information which can compromise confidentiality Gap #4: Ongoing supports not equipped to work with victims with disabilities • Agencies providing ongoing supports to victims are not equipped to support adults with disabilities ØMay refer to CACs, who are equipped to connect children and their families to resources, but not necessarily adults • Victim services are working with prosecutors – they need context on victims with disabilities Gap #5: Limited on-going therapeutic opportunities for adults with disabilities • Group therapy is not always accessible to people with disabilities • Individual therapists are not trained to work with people with disabilities Gaps: chat • What gaps have you seen when interviewing victims with disabilities? Recommendations for Interviewers Best practices • Still being established – protocol for adults with disabilities • Interviewers should specialize in adults with disabilities (not default to child interviewers) • Varies by jurisdiction ØNeutral, comfortable, safe setting for reporting ØDecision of reporting made by adult, but supported ØElectronic/video recording of statement Best practices (2) ØAppropriately trained interviewer • Knowledge in disabilities • Open ended narrative question types • Non-leading or suggestive • Done in a way that the victim communicates ØTrauma informed ØReferrals for necessary services/supports for victim during the process ØPolicies in place to serve people with disabilities Rethink How We View Disclosure • Historically viewed as static, single-time occurrence and a one-way process. Andra Chamberlin, MA and Kim Madden, M.Ed, LPC Address Sources of Reluctance/ Roadblocks • Family/caregiver dynamics • Socially isolated • Support system more controlling or may be torn apart • Rigid traditional family values and stigma • May process stress/trauma differently • Trauma can create communication challenges • Barriers to access Interview settings for adults: chat • Where in your community are adult victims with disabilities being interviewed? Interview settings for adults (1) • Fully accessible • Not specific for children • Room is set-up for adults • No child like paraphernalia, has adult chairs • Neutral ØNon-threatening ØFriendly or comfortable Interview settings for adults (2) • Audio and visual recording capabilities • Appropriately trained interviewer for adults • Medical services available – seamless process • Ideally some mental health / family support available Interview setting for children • Children’s Advocacy Center ØFully accessible ØFriendly, comforting, familiar, inviting ØNeutral • Not a place offenders are served ØSemi-private ØAudio visual recording capabilities ØAppropriately trained interviewer ØFamily support as well as mental health support ØMedical services Asking questions • Recall-based questions ØNarrative invitation ØFocused narrative request ØDetail question (who, what, where, when, how) • Recognition-based questions ØMultiple choice question ØYes/no question ØQuestions that introduce information • People with disabilities may respond more accurately to recall based questions. Asking questions (2) Recall information Recognition • Victim’s information • May feel they need to answer • In victim’s words • Risk of contamination – • Less false positives influenced/contaminated by interviewer • May answer question they did not understand • The “story” of what happened Questions – examples • Recall • Recognition • “What happened?” • ”Did the fight happen • “Tell me more.” in the bedroom, den, or somewhere else?” • ”What happened • “Did he do it on next?” purpose or was it an accident?” Questions: chat • What other types of questions have you seen be effective for victims with disabilities? Create adult appropriate protocols • Long term goal: develop protocols for adults with disabilities that are modeled off of best practices for interviewing adults ØCreate adult protocols ØAdapt adult protocols to make them accessible to people with disabilities Questions? December Guzzo National Children’s Advocacy Center dguzzo@nationalcac.org Survey • Please complete the following webinar survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/W97KW62 • A record of attendance is available in the downloads pod or via email request following the webinar.