safety alertalert exclamation

If you are in danger, please use a safer computer, call 911 or your local hotline or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233 voice), 1-800-787-3224 (tty). There is always a computer trail, but you can click ESCAPE to leave the site quickly.

There are many different dynamics that are important to understand when working with women with disabilities and Deaf women who experience domestic violence. We discuss two of those in this section.

In This Section

Power and Control

Abusers can be all different kinds of people, but across the board there are common patterns used to control the victim—tactics used to establish power and control over another person. These tactics can include isolation, intimidation, blaming the victim, sexual abuse, financial abuse, and coercion and threats. In addition to these types of abuse, women with disabilities experience additional tactics that women without disabilities do not experience—such as withholding wheelchairs, hearing aids, medication, transportation, or other assistive technology.

Barriers to Safety

Two common misconceptions about victims/survivors are that they (1) are free to leave their abusers at any time and (2) are safe once they leave their abuser. In addition to the serious danger presented to women seeking safety, there are many other barriers and risks that affect a woman’s decision to leave, including a lack of information on safety and shelters, fear for the safety of her children, lack of financial independence, and isolation from family or friends.