Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-nwzlb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-29T05:25:37.357Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Sexual abuse of the mentally handicapped: difficulties in establishing prevalence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Ann Buchanan
Affiliation:
Faculty of Social Sciences (Social Work), University of Southampton, Southampton S09 5NH
Robert Wilkins
Affiliation:
Paxton Family and Young Persons Unit, Reading, Berkshire
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

That adults with mental handicap∗ are particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation is not new, although relatively unacknowledged or investigated. Indeed successive acts under the mental health legislation have sought to protect them, particularly those with severe mental handicap. With the growing awareness and identification of sexual abuse of children, and the growing knowledge of the long-term psychological effects (Jehu, 1989), which may be even more severe for people who have disabilities (Kennedy, 1990; Sinason, 1989), it has been acknowledged that not only are the mentally handicapped particularly vulnerable to abuse (Benedict et al, 1990), but the problem may well be seriously underestimated by those working in management positions (Brown & Craft, 1989). While it is recognised that the mentally handicapped have rights and need to express their sexuality, they also have the right not to be exploited or abused. We therefore need to know more about the numbers, indicators and circumstances where this group may be sexually abused and to develop policies, systems and training to protect them (Brown & Craft, 1989). This pilot study was a step in this process.

Type
Original articles
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1991

References

Benedict, M. I., White, R. B., Wulff, L. M. & Hall, B. J. (1990) Reported maltreatment in children with multiple disabilities. Child Abuse and Neglect, 14, 207217.Google Scholar
Brown, H. & Craft, A. eds. (1989) Thinking the Unthinkable: Papers on Sexual Abuse and People with Learning Difficulties. London: Family Planning Association.Google Scholar
Jehu, D. (1989) Beyond Sexual Abuse: Therapy with women who were victims in childhood. Chichester: John Wiley.Google Scholar
Kennedy, M. (1990) The deaf child who is sexually abused - is there a need for a dual specialist? Child Abuse Review, 4, 36.Google Scholar
Sinason, V. (1989) Uncovering and responding to sexual abuse in psychotherapeutic settings. In Thinking the Unthinkable (eds. Brown, H. and Craft, A.). London: Family Planning Association.Google Scholar
Sobsey, D. & Varnhagen, C. (1989) In Special Education across Canada (eds. Sapo, & Gougen, ). Vancouver Centre for Human Development and Research.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.