Sexual Assaults Against Women With Disabilities
A study presented at the recent convention of the American Psychological Association in San Francisco indicated that sexual assault on women with physical disabilities tended to be more coercive and more physically severe than assaults on women with other types of problems. The study was based on clients from a sexual assault clinic in Toronto and compared 1,091 women with disabilities to 1,120 women without disabilities. Of the 81 victims with physical disabilities (including motor, visual, and hearing impairments), 66.7% suffered physical trauma during the assault, compared with 63.8% of the women without disabilities; 63.3% of the women with a psychiatric disability, and 52.2% of the women with cognitive disability of developmental delay. 19.2% of the physically disabled victims were also subjected to forced anal intercourse compared to 8.4% for women without disabilities. In presenting her findings, Theresa Kelly, a doctoral student at the University of Toronto, suggested that disabled women are more impaired in their ability to resist assault, flee, or fight back. The study supports previous research indicating that women with disabilities are at increased risk for sexual assault.
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