[Ohio-talk] Domestic Violence

Tue Aug 20 16:47:14 UTC 2013

Great

-----Original Message-----
From: Ohio-talk [mailto:ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Suzanne Turner
Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 12:05 PM
To: ohio-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Ohio-talk] Domestic Violence

Read below and make your decision as to why this subject is very important among persons with disabilities.

I would think that a seminar of this subject is prevalent to the NFB in any regard.  Touching this issue on an awareness aspect and not as a way to counsel would be a better agenda.  This way personal edifications are not aired, but address.
Please do not forget that men as well as children with disabilities or blindness are victims as well!

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I am learning from you all.!!

Read throughout!!!!

Suzanne

Domestic_Violence_and_Disabilities.
WHY IT MATTERS
Women with disabilities have among the highest rates of physical, sexual and emotional violence perpetrated by intimate partners and family members. Disabled individuals are at greater risk of severe physical and sexual violence than non-disabled persons, and many disabled victims of violence experience multiple assaults. Domestic abuse victims with disabilities are often more dependent on their caretakers than victims without disabilities, and face many barriers to reporting abuse and seeking services. Victims who do report abuse or seek services often do not find adequate help, since many programs that serve domestic violence victims are not equipped or trained to offer proper care to disabled victims.
Women with disabilities had a 40% greater risk of violence than women without disabilities. Women with disabilities are at particular risk for severe violence.

The most common perpetrators of violence against women with disabilities are their male partners.
Studies estimate that 80% of disabled women have been sexually assaulted. Women with disabilities are three times more likely to be sexually assaulted than women without disabilities.
One study showed that 47% of sexually abused women with disabilities reported assaults on more than ten occasions.
Approximately 48% of substantiated cases of abuse involve elder adults who are not physically able to care for themselves.
Disabled children are more than twice as likely as children without disabilities to be physically abused, and almost twice as likely to be sexually abused. Virtually all women with disabilities who were sexually assaulted also reported social, emotional, and behavioral harm.

BARRIERS TO SEEKING SERVICES

People with disabilities often lack accessible services due to limited resources, lack of transportation (especially in rural communities), or structural limitations of service facilities.

Some disabled victims lack the skills or abilities necessary to act independently to seek help. Many disabled victims lack knowledge about services. Public information and awareness education are generally not distributed in Braille, large print, or audio tape and do not define domestic violence in ways that people with disabilities can relate to.

Disabled victims of violence are heavily dependent on their abusive primary caretakers and run the risk of losing their caretaker if they report abuse.  Victims may experience an increased risk of being institutionalized or losing their basic decision-making rights if they are viewed as unable to take care of themselves without the help of their abuser. Disabled victims may be at greater risk for losing child custody if they are viewed as being unable to care for children independently from an abusive primary caretaker.

Studies estimate that between 70% and 85% of cases of abuse against disabled adults go unreported. One study found that only 5% of reported crimes against people with disabilities were prosecuted, compared to 70% for serious crimes committed against people with no disabilities. Disabled victims are more vulnerable to threats by their abusers if they report the abuse.

DISABILITY TRAINING

Only 35% of shelters surveyed have disability awareness training for their staff and only 16% have a dedicated staff person to deliver services to women with disabilities. Service providers often lack the training and sensitivity necessary to serve victims with disabilities. Some people see people with disabilities as less credible than nondisabled victims. Some people think abusive treatment is necessary to manage people with disabilities or blame disabled victims for the abuse they suffer, and because they hold these beliefs they consider domestic violence against people with disabilities to be justified.

Suzanne Turner, BSW, MPA
Employment Coordinator and Benefit Specialist

Cleveland Sight Center
216-791-8118 (main)
216-658-7350 (direct)
216-791-1101 (fax)
sturner at ClevelandSightCenter.org <mailto:sturner at ClevelandSightCenter.org>

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Cleveland, Ohio  44106-0188

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