Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor:

In reference to the article last week about domestic violence, ‘If it’s so bad, she (or far less frequently, he) should just get out.’ What happens when the person being abused is disabled, and dependent on the person who is abusing for most of their basic needs? Studies show between 50-99% of persons with disabilities experience abuse or are victims of domestic violence. One particular study estimates that 83% of women and 32% of men with developmental disabilities have experienced sexual abuse.

Society knows that “abusers” prey on vulnerability – most abuse victims are the young and women. But society hesitates to conceive that someone would abuse an individual with a disability. Are persons with disabilities vulnerable? Dependency, limited ability to communicate, inability to self-care for basic needs, are just a few of those vulnerable factors.

The distressing fact is that domestic violence is non-discriminatory and crosses all social, ethnic, and economic boundaries. Disabled individuals are three times more likely to be a victim of domestic abuse. Limited access to phones, social or community supports, oppression through segregation and balance of power issues can be prevalent in residential and institutional settings. Domestic violence can happen to anyone at any time!

“An individual with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities” is the definition of a person with a disability, from the Americans with Disabilities Act. If a person is dependent on someone to push their wheelchair, how will they get out? What if they are mentally retarded, blind, deaf or mute?

Thank your for bringing this crucial issue to our attention. Preventing and stopping domestic violence should be of great focus at the national (legislative) level and local (support and shelter) levels. Sincerely,

Gary Maddox, Executive Director Access II-ILC, Inc.