Abstract
The present manuscript reviews research examining sexual abuse of people with developmental disabilities. Although the relevant studies are few in number and their methodology is not especially strong, their findings suggest that prevalence of sexual abuse is higher for people with developmental disabilities than for people with no disabilities and is highest in people with severe disabilities. Strategies for preventing sexual abuse and detecting its occurrence are considered and possibilities for future research are suggested, particularly in the area of training staff and other caregivers.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bowman, R. A., Scotti, J. R., & Morris, T. L. (2010). Sexual abuse prevention: a training program for developmental disabilities service providers. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 19, 119–127.
Brown, H., & Turk, V. (1992). Defining sexual abuse as it affects adults with learning disabilities. Mental Handicap, 8, 3–24.
Burke, L., Bedard, C., & Ludwig, S. (1998). Dealing with sexual abuse of adults with a developmental disability who also have impaired communication: supportive procedures for detection, disclosure, and follow-up. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 7, 79–91.
Casteel, C., Martin, S. L., Smith, J. B., Gurka, K. K., & Kupper, L. L. (2008). National study of physical and sexual assault among women with disabilities. Injury Prevention, 14, 87–90.
Doughty, A. M., & Kane, L. M. (2010). Teaching abuse-prevention skills to people with intellectual disabilities: a review of the literature. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 31, 331–337.
Egomo-Helm, R. G., Miltlenberger, R. G., Knudson, P., Finstrom, N., Jostad, C., & Johnson, B. (2007). An evaluation of in situ training to teach sexual abuse prevention skills to women with mental retardation. Behavioral Interventions, 22, 99–119.
Furey, E. M., & Kehrhahn, M. T. (2000). What supervisors, managers, and executives know about abuse of people with mental retardation. Developmental Disabilities Bulletin, 28, 40–60.
Hershkowitz, I., Lamb, M. E., & Horowitze, D. (2007). Victimization of children with disabilities. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 77, 629–635.
Khemka, I., & Hickson, L. (2000). Decision making by adults with mental retardation in simulated situations of abuse. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 38, 15–26.
Khemka, I., Hickson, L., & Reynolds, G. (2005). Evaluation of a decision-making curriculum designed to empower women with mental retardation to resist abuse. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 43, 193–204.
Lee, Y. K., & Tang, C. S. (1998). Evaluation of a sexual abuse prevention program for female Chinese adolescents with mild mental retardation. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 103, 105–116.
Lumley, V. A., Miltenberger, R. G., Long, E. S., Rapp, J. T., & Roberts, J. A. (1998). Evaluation of a sexual abuse prevention program for adults with mental retardation. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 31, 91–101.
Martin, S. L., Ray, N., Sotres-Alvarez, D., Kupper, L. L., Moracco, K. E., Dickens, P. A., et al. (2006). Physical and sexual assault of women with disabilities. Violence Against Women, 12, 823–837.
McCormak, B., Kavanagh, D., Caffrey, S., & Power, A. (2005). Investigating sexual abuse: findings of a 15-year longitudinal study. Journal of Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 18, 217–227.
Miltenberger, R. G., Roberts, J. A., Ellingson, S., Galensky, T., Rapp, J. T., & Long, E. S. et al. (1999). Training and generalization of sexual abuse prevention skills for women with mental retardation. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 32, 385–388.
Nosek, M. A., Howland, C. A., Rintala, D. H., Young, M. E., & Chanpong, G. F. (2001). National study of women with physical disabilities: Final report. Sexuality and Disability, 19, 5–39.
Senn, C. Y. (1988). Vulnerable: Sexual abuse and people with an intellectual handicap. Ontario, CA: G. Allan Roeher Institute.
Sobsey, D., & Doe, T. (1991). Patterns of sexual abuse and assault. Sexuality and Disability, 9, 243–259.
Sobsey, D., & Varnhagen, C. (1989). Sexual abuse and exploitation of people with disabilities. In M. Csapo & L. Gougen (Eds.), Special education across Canada (pp. 199–218). Vancouver: Center for Human Development and Research.
Tyiska, C. (1998). Working With Victims of Crime with Disabilities. Office for Victims of Crime Bulletin. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime.
Wacker, J. L., Parish, S. L., & Macy, R. J. (2008). Sexual assault and women with cognitive disabilities. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 19, 86–94.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mahoney, A., Poling, A. Sexual Abuse Prevention for People with Severe Developmental Disabilities. J Dev Phys Disabil 23, 369–376 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-011-9244-2
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-011-9244-2