Abuse

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Research has shown that women with disabilities have a higher risk for emotional, physical, and sexual abuse than do women without disabilities. Along with common types of abuse such as verbal abuse or rape, women with disabilities can also face disability-related abuse, such as withholding of wheelchairs or refusal to help with personal tasks. Research also shows that women with disabilities who have been abused are more likely to be abused longer and by multiple people than women who do not have disabilities.

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Additional Resources

Publications

Violence Against Women with Disabilities - The Violence Against Women web page provides abused women and their loved ones with resources and information they can use to get help. This web page contains links to publications about violence, domestic violence, sexual abuse and assault, dating violence, elder abuse, legislation, and violence resources in each state.
http://www.womenshealth.gov/violence/groups/wwd.cfm
Abuse Deserves Special Vigilance - This publication gives information on why violence is a serious problem for women with disabilities. It provides four questions that doctors and nurses can ask if they suspect their patient is being abused.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/women/abuse.htm
Are you Being Abused? (Copyright © ACOG) - This simple true-false quiz helps victims and those who care about them identify the signs of abuse. It encourages victims to seek assistance and gives helpful phone numbers to call.
http://www.acog.org/from_home/departments/dept_notice.cfm?recno=17&bulletin=198
Domestic Violence (Copyright © ACOG) - This pamphlet is for women who are in an abusive relationship or who are at risk of abuse from a male partner. It presents facts on domestic violence, factors that place a woman at risk, plans for action if she or her children are threatened with physical harm, and resources that are available to help.
http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb_for_printer.cfm?article_ID=ZZZYVF3MA7...
Fact Sheet: Sexuality and Intellectual Disability (Copyright © AAIDD) - This fact sheet provides answers to questions about sexuality and intellectual disability, such as do people with intellectual disabilities have sexuality and can they have children?
http://www.aaidd.org/Policies/sexuality.shtml
A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities (Copyright © Hesperian Foundation) - This book is written for women with disabilities around the world. It contains chapters about understanding and taking care of your body, growing older with a disability, abuse, violence, self-defense, and much more.
http://www.hesperian.org/publications_download_wwd.php
Sexual Violence Awareness Fact Sheet: People with Disabilities (Copyright © Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance) - This publications describes the challenges and barriers of helping a survivor of sexual assault with a mental health disability. It provides tips and resources for crisis centers on how to help a victim with a mental health disability.
http://www.vadv.org/secPublications/svapwd.pdf
Victims with Disabilities Face Unique Challenges (Copyright © NCVC) - This article explains the likelihood of stalking and abuse happening to persons with disabilities. It provides information regarding the obstacles of being protected from an abuser, and the manipulation that can occur between a person with a disability and an intimate partner.
http://www.ncvc.org/src/AGP.Net/Components/DocumentViewer/Download.aspxnz?Documen...
Violence Against Women with Disabilities - Prevalence (Copyright © CROWD) - This fact sheet contains statistical information concerning the prevalence of abuse of women with physical disabilities from the National Study of Women with Physical Disabilities.
http://www.bcm.edu/crowd/?pmid=1338

Organizations

= Indicates Federal Resources

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