The Risk of Physical and Sexual Assault
Over one million women in Canada have a disability. Over two-thirds of these women -- about 670,000 -- have been physically or sexually assaulted before they reach puberty. This figure is twice as high as it is for women without disabilities. One out of three women with disabilities in Canada -- about 330,000 -- experience physical and sexual assault as adults. This compares to about one out of four women without disabilities. These figures represent a crisis. For most women and girls with disabilities, violence is a way of life caused by society’s ignorance. Society pretends these women do not exist. Poverty, isolation and dependence on attendant services make women with disabilities far more vulnerable to violence. |
("I know my husband used my disability as a reason to abuse me. I was doubly isolated -- hearing impaired and living in a lonely, abusive marriage. I could not see a way out.")
WHAT ARE THE SOCIETAL PROBLEMS?
Society isolates women with disabilities, making it almost impossible to escape. Although they need a supportive and safe environment more than anybody, lack of accessible transportation and communication effectively shuts them out. The vast majority of women’s shelters and rape crisis centres are inaccessible. Staff and volunteers know little or nothing of disability issues. If a woman with a disability does manage to reach a centre or shelter, she may be turned away and she may suffer further abuse.
When a woman with a disability seeks justice through the courts, lawyers and judges may not be sympathetic and many may not even believe her testimony.
("I confronted the doctor who sexually assaulted me. He said, ’In court, it would be your word against mine. Who would believe you over me?’")
Even if the courts accept her testimony, rarely will she find retribution. In fact, it may work against her. Many judges consider a woman with a disability less capable of parenting than her abusive husband, and they may give the husband full custody of their children. If a woman with a disability reports assault by an attendant, she may lose essential services. If she reports assault by a spouse, she may lose financial support or stability.
WHO ARE THE MOST AT RISK?
The women and girls who suffer the most severe and frequent assaults are:
- women with multiple disabilities;
- women with developmental disabilities;
- women with communication disabilities; and
- women who have a disability at birth or in early childhood.
The more physicians and attendants or caregivers a woman depends on, the more likely she is to be assaulted and abused.
("I was manipulated, battered, and physically and emotionally pushed around in two hospitals. Within two months, they had physically pushed me into an acute arthritic flare-up. I went from using a cane to using a wheelchair.")
A girl with a disability is twice as likely to suffer sexual and physical assault as a girl without a disability. The most dangerous place for her to be is in her own home.
("He raped me over and over again from the time I was four until I was eleven. Unlike my other sisters, I couldn’t run away from him. I was sexually abused because I had a mobility impairment.")
If a girl with a disability is sent to foster homes or institutions, she still faces a high risk of sexual and physical assault.
WHO ARE THE ASSAILANTS?
The assailant is seldom a stranger. The most likely assailant is the mother or father of a girl with a disability. The next most likely assailants are caregivers and attendants, both female and male, doctors, nurses and institutional and residential school staff. Other likely assailants are husbands, boyfriends, ex-boyfriends, brothers, uncles and grandfathers.
("I was abused by my father, my stepfather, my mother’s boyfriend, my uncle, some teenagers --well, that was rape so I won’t count that -- oh, and two foster fathers. Some I don’t even remember. Mom remembered one I hadn’t remembered. She took in this lady and this lady’s boyfriend did something. She kicked him out. The one time she did something, and I forgot about it.")
Parental abuse that is called "discipline" is still legal in North America. It can cause disability and can aggravate an existing disability.
("Although my hearing impairment likely occurred when I was six weeks old, I have any memories of being shaken and beaten when I was very little. I believe my hearing could have worsened due to long-term abuse. When I have those bodily memories, I will actually go into a convulsion. It was like a spike had been driven through me, and split my brain in two. I believe the abuse in my infancy is a major cause of many of my illnesses.")
WHY ARE WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES AT SUCH HIGH RISK?
Society’s attitudes towards women and disability are the source of the problem. Pornography, a multi-billion-dollar industry, graphically illustrates the level of violence in our society. Its message is clear: Women are objects of aggression and control. When women have disabilities, they are even easier targets of rape and physical assault.
In 1989, Jillian Ridington studied 3,000 men’s magazines and was shocked by what she saw. All gave the message that women really wanted to be raped, that "no" really means "yes." Many magazines narrated coercive sex scenes involving women with disabilities.
("It somehow seems more okay to abuse a child with a disability, or someone who really doesn’t know what’s going on, or someone who doesn’t move quickly, talk clearly or see or hear as well as others. When I said no my father ignored me. I said no many times, I really did. I was always saying no, but it didn’t seem to matter. No meant yes.")
WHAT ACTION ARE WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES TAKING?
Women with disabilities are taking self-defense courses to learn how to protect themselves. Members of the DisAbled Women’s Network (DAWN) are working together to help make services accessible. These services include women’s shelters, rape crisis centres and feminist counselling. Women with disabilities are speaking about violence at conferences, seminars, and events such as "Take Back the Night" marches. The voices of women with disabilities are strong and no longer will be silenced.
HOW CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?
For more information, contact: DAWN (Toronto), 180 Dundas St. W., Suite 210, Toronto, ON M5G 1Z8, or phone: (416) 598-2438; TTY: (416) 598-5059; fax: (416) 598-5244