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Communication Environment & Dimensional Extremes

For background information on the characteristics of dimensional extremes, a description of who is affected and the types of issues functional limitations related to dimensional extremes create, please refer to Understanding Disability: Dimensional Extremes.

Issues Related to the Communication Environment

People with obvious physical differences experience discrimination based in stereotypes about those differences. They may believe that they have been targeted for those differences. If they are in an abusive relationship, their abusers may have used those differences as an instrument of abuse. Even very skilled counselors may believe some of the stereotypes and may, unintentionally, collude with the abuser by asking the survivor if she believes that these factors contributed to the abuse. Additionally, survivors with dimensional extremes may experience discrimination and ridicule from other residents in the shelter or participants in group.

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