Disability & Sex

Are persons with intellectual disabilities more at risk for sexual abuse?

Persons with intellectual disabilities are seven times more likely to be victims of sexual abuse than those without disabilities. People with intellectual disabilities, like everyone else, have the freedom to enjoy relationships and sexuality without fear of being abused or exploited. Unfortunately, data shows that persons with disabilities are considerably more likely than persons without disabilities to be subjected to various sorts of abuse. This is due to a variety of factors, including a lack of sex education on when and where it is appropriate to be touched by others. Assaults on individuals with intellectual disabilities, like assaults on the general population, are more likely to be carried out by someone they know, such as a family member, caregiver, coworker, or someone they live with. Sexual attacks on persons with disabilities are also less likely to be recorded, according to research and research suggests various reasons for this including that some persons with disabilities have trouble communicating with others. More reasons include that someone may report the abuse to someone else, but that person may not comprehend what they are saying; and a person's understanding or capacity to report what happened to them may be restricted.