Physical violence is “the intentional use of physical force with the potential for causing death, disability, injury, or harm.”(Rosenberg and Mercy 1991; CDC 2006) It includes, but is not limited to, “scratching, pushing, shoving, throwing, grabbing, biting choking, shaking, slapping, punching, burning, use of a weapon, and use of restraints or one’s body, size, or strength against another person.”(CDC 2006)

Emotional abuse occurs when a person is “threatened, terrorized, or severely rejected, ignored, or verbally attacked.”(Nosek et al. 2001) It includes, but is not limited to, “episodes of yelling, threats, or acts meant to humiliate or hurt feelings.” (Curry et al. 2003)

Persons with disabilities are 4 to 10 times more likely to become a victim of violence, abuse, or neglect than persons without disabilities (Petersilia 2001).

Similar proportions of women with and without disabilities report having experienced episodes of physical violence, sexual violence, or emotional abuse (Sobsey and Mansell 1994). Women with disabilities, however, report greater numbers of perpetrators and longer time periods of individual episodes than women without disabilities (Young et al. 1997).
 

Victimization can occur anywhere; however, it usually happens in isolated locations where a person with disabilities has little or no control of the environment (Sobsey and Mansell 1994), and the setting is away from the view of law enforcement (Verdugo and Mermejo 1997).

More men than women, either as intimate partners or as health care workers (Brown and Turk 1994; Marley and Buila 2001), are reported to commit acts of physical violence, sexual violence, emotional abuse, or neglect against persons with disabilities.

Personal home care attendants (Oktay and Tompkins 2004; Saxton et al. 2001) or health care workers at institutions (Brown and Turk 1994; Sequeira and Halstead 2001) have been reported to perpetrate emotional abuse and sexual violence against persons with disabilities.

Societal Factors:

Misperceptions about disability include “having a disability protects a person from victimization”; the risks to a person with disabilities are thought to be less than the risks to a person who has none (Young et al. 1997).

Lack of money often causes persons with disabilities to live in areas where crime rates are high and the potential for physical and sexual violence is greater than in wealthier neighborhoods (Curry et al. 2001).

Community resources for victims of physical and sexual violence, emotional abuse, or neglect are usually designed to assist people without disabilities (Swedlund and Nosek 2000; Chang et al. 2003; Cramer et al. 2003). Organizations that provide such resources do not routinely collaborate with organizations that assist persons with disabilities (Curry et al. 2001; Swedlund and Nosek 2000; Chang et al. 2003).

Persons living with a TBI often have difficulty with anger management, which may prompt others to use undue physical force or inappropriate medication (Kim 2002).

TBI outcomes affect others’ perceptions of a person’s ability to honestly and accurately report an incident of victimization (DOJ 1998).

Persons with TBI or other disabilities may experience physical and sexual violence, emotional abuse, or neglect by a caregiver in return for access to medication, adaptive equipment, or assistance with activities of daily life (Oktay and Tompkins 2004).

A TBI can cause cognitive problems that reduce one’s ability to perceive, remember, or understand risky situations that could lead to an incident of physical or sexual violence (Kim 2002; Levin 1999).

Persons with a TBI may engage in at-risk drinking or drug use that place them in situations or relationships that lead to episodes of victimization (Kwasnica and Heinemann 1994; Li et al. 2000).

References

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