Celebrating Disability Pride and Fighting Sexual Harm
Each July we celebrate Disability Pride Month! July 26 marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passed in 1990. The ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability, aiming to guarantee that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as anyone else. Disability Pride Month is celebrated in so many ways because there is so much diversity within the disabled community. According to 2021 federal data, there are around 42.5 million Americans with disabilities, a huge portion of our population! Despite disabilities being as common as they are, this community faces stigma and hardships in many areas, including sexual harm. Survivors with disabilities deserve the same safety, support, and resources afforded to those without disabilities.
The prevalence of sexual harm for people with disabilities
People with disabilities experience extremely high rates of sexual harm. For example,
- A 2009–2014 National Crime Victimization survey from the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that people with disabilities were over three times more likely to experience serious violent crime, such as sexual assault and rape, compared to people without disabilities.
- Department of Justice data shows that people with intellectual disabilities experience sexual assault at rates more than seven times compared to those without disabilities.
What contributes to these high rates
Why is this the reality for our community with disabilities? We can consider how some factors may play a role. For example, there are many adults with disabilities that are more isolated than other groups. They may live in group homes or with a caregiver. Situations like these can make disabled people a target for sexual harm because the perpetrator may be in a position of power. A disabled person may rely on a perpetrator for care, and a perpetrator may know when a disabled person will be alone and vulnerable.
People with disabilities are also often infantilized. This means they are treated as less capable or smart than they really are. This can happen under the guise of protection, but it can have the opposite effect, hindering their growth, confidence, and independence. Infantilization can result in a disabled person feeling more dependent on others or less in control of their own life. When that autonomy is lessened, it can impact all areas of their life, including autonomy over their bodies and decisions. Again, this leads to more susceptibility for sexual harm to happen.
Because infantilization is so common, sex education is often not provided. Adults with disabilities are just as interested in sex as anybody else, yet our culture often views them as incapable of romantic or sexual relationships. As a result, authorities in these spaces see sex education as unnecessary. Given the high rates of sexual harm, it would make more sense to provide sex education. This knowledge can help prevent sexual abuse and promote healthy relationships. It would also empower disabled people to recognize and name harm if it happens.
Additionally, ableism makes systems for reporting or receiving support in the aftermath of sexual harm especially difficult. Services and resources are inaccessible for many. People with disabilities may have an even harder time being believed if they do share what happened to them. These roadblocks keep survivors from needed resources and support, in turn silencing them.
How we can support and be allies to survivors with disabilities
So, how can we support and be allies to survivors with disabilities? One way to make progress is by advocating for policy change. Sex education at large has a long way to go. And sex ed for folks with disabilities is needed for both empowerment and prevention.
We also need to show up for survivors with disabilities and support them in other spaces, too. We can do this by co-creating inclusive spaces with and for disabled survivors. We can also create more accessible resources. Organizations, hospitals, support groups, and other places that serve survivors must be proactive about making their services both accommodating and welcoming. Part of that ongoing process is centering disabled survivors, and inviting them to share thoughts, experiences, and suggestions. Because disabilities can be invisible, this means allies should be mindful even when they are not aware folks with disabilities are already in those spaces.
Survivorship is invisible too. There is no way to know if someone has experienced sexual harm unless they have told you. When allies work to accommodate these invisible identities, they can make spaces more comfortable for people coming to them, instead of treating some people like an afterthought or burden. Always consider accessibility.
This Disability Pride Month is a timely reminder to recognize the different identities and experiences of people with disabilities. You can remain mindful year-round, taking note of where you can provide more inclusivity. Beyond this month, let’s work to prevent and lessen the sexual harm that the disabled community faces. Let’s make way for a safer, more empowered, and more equitable future.
CAASE’s mission is to address the culture, institutions, and individuals that perpetrate, profit from, or support sexual exploitation. We do this through a number of programs: Prevention Education, Legal Services, Community Engagement, and Public Policy and Advocacy. Click each program to learn more.
If CAASE can help you, we hope you will reach out! Click here to contact us via website. We can be reached by phone at 773-244-2230. If you are seeking legal services, please call 773-244-2230 ext. 205 or email legal@caase.org.
Explore these resources and further reading about the intersection of sexual harm and disability:
- Comprehensive Sex Education for Youth with Disabilities: A Call to Action – SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change
- Sexual Violence and the Disability Community – The Center for American Progress
CAASE published this piece on July 8, 2024. It was authored by Lizzy Springer and edited by Tayler Mathews and Madeleine Behr. Learn more about our staff here.
