Gender-based violence among people with disabilities is a neglected public health topic

Namatovu, Fredinah; Preet, Raman; Goicolea, Isabel

doi:10.1080/16549716.2019.1694758

Cited by 15 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…A potential explanatory factor is the socialisation of women with disability to believe that they are uniquely dependent on their partner for long-term care and economic stability, to be compliant, and that they are unable to access caring, loving relationships [ 39 ]. Alternatively, it has been argued that disability further adds to the power disparities and lack of access resources associated with traditional gender roles [ 58 ]. While there is a dearth of methodologically robust studies, it is clear that both gender and type of disability affect the prevalence of violence [ 11 , 58 , 59 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Alternatively, it has been argued that disability further adds to the power disparities and lack of access resources associated with traditional gender roles [ 58 ]. While there is a dearth of methodologically robust studies, it is clear that both gender and type of disability affect the prevalence of violence [ 11 , 58 , 59 ]. It is critical that strategies to prevent violence are developed taking into account these intersectionalities [ 11 , 58 , 59 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Physical violence and violent threats reported by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with a disability: cross sectional evidence from a nationally representative survey

et al. 2020

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Background A recent Royal Commission into the treatment of Australians living with disabilities has underscored the considerable exposure to violence and harm in this population. Yet, little is known about exposure to violence among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with disabilities. The objective of this paper was to examine the prevalence, disability correlates and aspects of violence and threats reported by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with disabilities. Methods Data from the 2014–15 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey were used to measure physical violence, violent threats and disability. Multivariable logistic and ordinal logistic regression models adjusted for complex survey design were used to examine the association between measures of disability and exposure to violence and violent threats. Results In 2014–15, 17% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15–64 with disability experienced an instance of physical violence compared with 13% of those with no disability. Approximately 22% of those with a profound or severe disability reported experiencing the threat of physical violence. After adjusting for a comprehensive set of confounding factors and accounting for complex survey design, presence of a disability was associated with a 1.5 odds increase in exposure to physical violence (OR = 1.54 p < 0.001), violence with harm (OR = 1.55 p < 0.001), more frequent experience of violence (OR = 1.55 p < 0.001) and a 2.1 odds increase (OR = 2.13 p < 0.001) in exposure to violent threats. Severity of disability, higher numbers of disabling conditions as well as specific disability types (e.g., psychological or intellectual) were associated with increased odds of both physical violence and threats beyond this level. Independent of these effects, removal from one’s natural family was strongly associated with experiences of physical violence and violent threats. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, regardless of disability status, were more likely to report partner or family violence, whereas men were more likely to report violence from other known individuals. Conclusion Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability are at heightened risk of physical violence and threats compared to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people without disability, with increased exposure for people with multiple, severe or specific disabilities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical violence and violent threats reported by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with a disability: cross sectional evidence from a nationally representative survey

et al. 2020

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“…Community-level challenges arise from a general lack of training among police on how to interact with autistic people, which can lead to communication challenges and negative experiences if autistic victims do report a crime [55][56][57] . Broader societal structural barriers include a lack of political attention and public awareness regarding victimisation among disabled people, and a lack of access to appropriate violence support services 12,26,31,58 . Finally, existing laws, policies, and practices routinely deny or inhibit the legal capacity of disabled people, whilst creating barriers to justice 26 .…”

Section: Social Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Prevalence and Risk Factors of Autistic Experiences of Interpersonal Violence: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cooke

Ridgway

Westrupp

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Background: Interpersonal violence is a widespread yet understudied issue in autism spectrum disorder (henceforth, ‘autism’). While the multiple minority stress model suggests gender marginalised groups (e.g., females, transgender, non-binary) are at greater risk, research investigating this model among autistic populations is limited. The current review and meta-analysis examined the prevalence and risk factors associated with interpersonal violence among autistic individuals of varying gender identities. Methods: A systematic database search identified 42 studies examining: (1) a combination of physical, sexual, or psychological violence; (2) physical violence; (3) sexual violence; (4) psychological violence; (5) traditional bullying; (6) cyberbullying; and (7) homicide among autistic people across all age groups and support needs levels, compared by gender. A random-effects meta-analysis with pooled data from 13 eligible studies was undertaken, comprising 4,498 participants (males n = 3,472; females n = 1,026) aged between 2 to 56 years. Results: Analyses indicated overall violence prevalence is increased among females compared to males, d = 0.44, p < .001; 95% CI [0.24, 0.65], across all ages and support needs levels. The largest effect was for childhood maltreatment and negative social events during adulthood, d = 1.07, p < .05, [0.20, 1.93]. Narrative synthesis of 37 studies indicated autistic people were significantly more likely to be victimised by carers and peers compared to non-autistic people. Key risk factors included belonging to a gender or racial minority, having co-occurring mental health issues, and coming from a low-income household. Limitations: The generalisability of findings was limited by the shortage of literature about autistic experiences of violence not involving bullying, participants with high needs, and participants outside of the binary gender. This may also contribute to the high level of heterogeneity (I2 = 87%) found. Conclusions: The results of this review and meta-analysis indicate that interpersonal violence is a pressing issue among autistic people, who appear to face concerningly high rates of victimisation and poly-victimisation across the life course, particularly among multiply marginalised people (i.e., gender, race, mental health, economic). This underscores the importance of exploring violence from an intersectional perspective, across individual and societal contexts, providing support for multiple minority theory.

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“…Recent estimates indicate that one in three women aged 15 and older globally have experienced intimate partner violence [IPV] or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime [ 1 ]. Disability has been found to be a risk factor for exposure to violence amongst women and has been found to influence dynamics and patterns of women’s exposure to violence [ 2 ]. For example, analyses of the association between IPV and disability from seven violence-prevention programs in low and middle-income countries [LMIC] indicates consistent associations between past-year exposure to IPV and disability, with associations stronger with increasing severity of self-reported disability [ 3 ].…”

Section: Background and Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The first, intersectionality, positions both violence and disability as “interdependent and interconnected,” and enables understanding of vulnerability to violence through the lens of how the social identities of gender and ability are socially constructed and reinforced. The second, feminist disability theory, proposes that disability is a social construct, and shapes women’s experiences and access to full social participation in ways that intersect with patriarchal norms and practices [ 2 ]. These approaches theorize the types and patterns of violence against women with disabilities as grounded within the social construct of disability, which results in marginalization and isolation of persons with disability, and patriarchal systems, which uphold power of men over women in family and other central social institutions [ 12 ].…”

Section: Background and Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A scoping review of measurement of violence against women and disability

et al. 2022

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Introduction Existing evidence indicates that prevalence of violence against women with disability is elevated compared to women without disability. We conducted a scoping review with a focus on measurement to assess the forms of measurement and study design utilized to explore the intersection of violence against women with disabilities, and to identify strengths and limitations in current approaches to measuring violence against women with disabilities. This scoping review is designed to inform current debates and discussions regarding how to generate evidence concerning violence against women with disabilities. Methods and results We conducted systematic searches of the following databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL, PILOTS, ERIC, Social Work Abstracts, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, Social Services Abstracts, ProQuest Criminal Justice, and Dissertations & Theses Global, and conducted structured searches of national statistics and surveys and grey literature available on-line. We identified 174 manuscripts or reports for inclusion. n = 113 manuscripts or reports utilized acts-specific measurement of violence. In terms of measurement of disability, we found that amongst the included manuscripts and reports, n = 75 utilized measures of functioning limitations (n = 20 of these were Washington Group questions), n = 15 utilized a single question approach and n = 67 defined participants in the research as having a disability based on a diagnosis or self-report of a health condition or impairment. Discussion This scoping review provides a comprehensive overview of measurement of violence against women with disabilities and measurement of violence within disability-focused research. We identified several important gaps in the evidence, including lack of sex and disability disaggregation, limited evidence concerning adaptation of data collection methods to ensure accessibility of research activities for women with disabilities, and limited evidence concerning differential relationships between types of disability and violence exposure. This scoping review provides directions for sub-analyses of the included studies and further research to address gaps in evidence.

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Gender-based violence among people with disabilities is a neglected public health topic

Cited by 15 publications

References 29 publications

Physical violence and violent threats reported by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with a disability: cross sectional evidence from a nationally representative survey

Physical violence and violent threats reported by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with a disability: cross sectional evidence from a nationally representative survey

The Prevalence and Risk Factors of Autistic Experiences of Interpersonal Violence: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

A scoping review of measurement of violence against women and disability

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