Sexual Violence Sexual Violence Against Children Against Children with Disabilitieswith Disabilities

Shirley Paceley, M.A.Shirley Paceley, M.A.

Blue Tower Training CenterBlue Tower Training Center

www.bluetowertraining.comwww.bluetowertraining.com

Stories from our greatest Stories from our greatest teachersteachers

I am a child first!I am a child first!

Myths that perpetuate Myths that perpetuate violenceviolence

• Eternal childEternal child• Can’t learnCan’t learn• Need to be segregatedNeed to be segregated• Not sexually attractiveNot sexually attractive• Don’t feel painDon’t feel pain• The label is the personThe label is the person• Sex education = promiscuitySex education = promiscuity

Facts in plain languageFacts in plain language

• I am more like you than differentI am more like you than different• I have feelings tooI have feelings too• I am NOT my labelI am NOT my label• I can learn. Can you teach?I can learn. Can you teach?• I want to know about my body, my I want to know about my body, my

choices, my life opportunitieschoices, my life opportunities• I have dreams, talents, and I have dreams, talents, and

contributions to makecontributions to make

Children with disabilities Children with disabilities experience sexual violence experience sexual violence

at an alarming rate!at an alarming rate!

Risk FactorsRisk Factors

• Potential VictimPotential Victim• Potential OffenderPotential Offender• Environmental/CulturalEnvironmental/Cultural• SocialSocial

In: In: Violence in the Lives of People with Violence in the Lives of People with Disabilities: An End to Silent Acceptance?Disabilities: An End to Silent Acceptance? By Dick SobseyBy Dick Sobsey

WE CAN Stop Abuse WE CAN Stop Abuse StudyStudy

• Focus on preventionFocus on prevention• Partnerships formedPartnerships formed• Reduced/eliminated risk factorsReduced/eliminated risk factors• Peer Training Peer Training • Long-term effectsLong-term effects• Peer Trainers dataPeer Trainers data• People reported grooming behaviorsPeople reported grooming behaviors

Healing begins with Healing begins with relationshiprelationship

Response to sexual Response to sexual violenceviolence

• Believe meBelieve me• Keep me safe (away from offender)Keep me safe (away from offender)• Reassure meReassure me• Report with/for meReport with/for me• Find me a trusted person who can Find me a trusted person who can

helphelp

Response to violenceResponse to violence

• Maintain the routineMaintain the routine• Share informationShare information• Let child know that they helped Let child know that they helped

others to be safeothers to be safe• Respect boundariesRespect boundaries• Reflect feelingsReflect feelings

ABC’s of Living WithABC’s of Living WithMy Disability My Disability

by Amy Walkerby Amy Walker

Criminal justice responseCriminal justice response

• Many people with disabilities are Many people with disabilities are credible witnessescredible witnesses

• What do you need that you don’t What do you need that you don’t have?have?

• ConfessionsConfessions• Right to equal justiceRight to equal justice

SolutionsSolutions

• Know the warning signs/indicatorsKnow the warning signs/indicators• Eliminate or reduce as many risk Eliminate or reduce as many risk

factors as possiblefactors as possible• Develop a national commitment and Develop a national commitment and

actionaction• Prohibit sexual violence against all Prohibit sexual violence against all

childrenchildren• Give prevention a priorityGive prevention a priority

SolutionsSolutions

• Empower children to be involved in Empower children to be involved in the solutionsthe solutions

• Include people with disabilities with Include people with disabilities with education, advocacy, counseling and education, advocacy, counseling and legal systemlegal system

• Educate everyone!Educate everyone!• Make it easier for children to Make it easier for children to

disclosedisclose

SolutionsSolutions

• Form partnerships/collaborationsForm partnerships/collaborations• Ensure high-quality recovery Ensure high-quality recovery

servicesservices• Bring perpetrators of sexual violence Bring perpetrators of sexual violence

to justiceto justice• Collect data including children with Collect data including children with

disaiblitiesdisaiblities

I am only one,I am only one,but still I am one.but still I am one.

I cannot do everythingI cannot do everythingbut still I can do but still I can do

something.something.I will not refuse to do I will not refuse to do

The something I can do.The something I can do.

Helen KellerHelen Keller

One Victim’s VoiceOne Victim’s VoiceBy Brenda Henson and Amy By Brenda Henson and Amy

WalkerWalkerI am a person, so treat me like you. I am a person, so treat me like you.

Don’t hurt me, abuse me, or Don’t hurt me, abuse me, or embarrass me too.embarrass me too.

I think and I feel and I will speak I think and I feel and I will speak out—out—

If someone does hurt me, I’ll stand If someone does hurt me, I’ll stand up and shout!up and shout!

Listen to me and believe what I sayListen to me and believe what I say

Because if you don’t, the hurt won’t Because if you don’t, the hurt won’t go away.go away.

Help me to get well and heal my Help me to get well and heal my painpain

And don’t let this kind of thing And don’t let this kind of thing happen again.happen again.

If someone hurts me, then lock If someone hurts me, then lock them away,them away,

But still give them help so that they But still give them help so that they will not straywill not stray

And hurt someone else. If you do And hurt someone else. If you do this for me,this for me,

Then I will be glad I spoke out. I’m Then I will be glad I spoke out. I’m set free!set free!

Allow for the possibility…Allow for the possibility…

YOU CANYOU CAN

MAKE A DIFFERENCE!MAKE A DIFFERENCE!