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Dynamics

There are a number of unique dynamics that affect women with disabilities and Deaf women who experience sexual assault. In addition to the more prevalent tactics and issues of consent faced by most victims/survivors, research has shown that women with disabilities, specifically women with developmental disabilities, are at a higher risk for experiencing sexual assault. A possible explanation for the increased risk could be connected to the ways in which some perpetrators of sexual assault use tactics that expressly target a woman’s limitation.

Examples of how a perpetrator might do this are relevant to understanding how assault and rape can differently affect a woman with disabilities and how you can more effectively provide services. These examples can include:

  • becoming a relied-upon, or primary, caregiver before assaulting her;
  • "grooming" her for abuse;
  • exploiting her trusting nature;
  • taking advantage of her lack of sexual education or knowledge;
  • stealing her adaptive equipment so she can’t call for or get to help;
  • striking or attacking before she can sense what is coming;
  • threatening, injuring or scaring away her service animal;
  • giving her drugs without her knowledge, forcing her to take drugs or medication, or giving her more than was prescribed;
  • encouraging or allowing people to think she is lying or manipulating the situation;
  • preventing her from reporting any troubles through coercion, threats, or force;
  • exploiting her lack of access to accommodations if reporting to police or medical personnel, such as interpreters, ramps, or an advocate;
  • claiming in court or to a police officer that her injuries are from a fall or are due to her disability; and
  • exploiting the fact that she will likely not be believed by a police officer or court even if she does report.

Additionally, practitioners in the field often note that women with disabilities and Deaf women commonly encounter barriers to accessing assistance and support when attempting to report a sexual assault to legal or law enforcement services. It is possible that this impediment contributes to the extended length of abuse and repeated victimization among this population.

Practitioners assisting women with disabilities who have experienced sexual assault should find out more information from hotlines or sexual assault organizations in their communities about how to more successfully refer women who wish to find safety and support.