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Introduction
1a Background
Avon and Somerset has a population of 1.6
million. Over 10% has a learning disability (LD).
People with LD are particularly vulnerable to rape and sexual abuse and are disproportionately likely to be sexually abused and sexually assaulted compared with people without such disabilities. Reported sexual abuse incidents increased 15% in Avon and Somerset in 2017.
Incidence of rape and sexual abuse of people with disabilities may be as much as 4x higher than it is within the non-disabled population. People with LD are at the highest risk of abuse. Research (Withers and Morris, 2012) suggests that between 25-50% of adults with LD have been sexually exploited.
People with LD who experience sexual abuse experience similar consequences to people in the general population. Survivors can additionally display an increase in ‘stereotypic’ behaviours associated with their LD, such as repetitive rocking.
Despite all this, the barriers they can face when trying to seek help means they often remain hidden and unsupported. Previous work (Douglas and Cuskelly, 2012; Olsen and Carter, 2016; Olsen et al. 2017) has shown
• Staff at sexual violence services, such as sexual assault referral centres (SARCs), feel they lack knowledge, confidence, and training around how to recognise LD and to appropriately respond to survivors’ needs.
• Staff also (wrongly) assume that survivors with LD will have access to specialist support for times of crisis.
• Staff want people with specialist knowledge to accompany and support survivors.
• Service providers often refer people with LD to other services because they feel they lack the
skills to support them. Survivors say this is like being in a ‘revolving door’, continually being referred from one service to another.
• Survivors who feel unable to access mainstream services or receive support report that this leaves them feeling misunderstood and disbelieved.
Police and court processes pose more barriers (Beckene et al., 2017; Green, 2001; Ministry
of Justice, 2011). Survivors with LD are over- represented in cases that do not make it through the criminal justice system (CJS). There are a range of reasons. Police may be reluctant to take a statement from the alleged survivor if they believe that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is likely to reject the case because of witness’ LD. Police also have trouble diagnosing LD and meeting the person’s needs. For example, people with LD have cognitive and communication tendencies that might make standard police interviewing inappropriate and thus call for adaptations.
If cases do make it through to court, courts
can still reject a case on the assumption
that survivors with LD lack capacity and/or competence, that they are unreliable witnesses, or that they will not cope with court proceedings. However, research has shown that with the right support and adaptations, such as from an LD ISVA, survivors with LD can successfully give evidence and cope with court proceedings.
1b The LD Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) service
ISVAs provide victims with information, advice, support, and guidance, specifically tailored to their needs. ISVAs provide crisis intervention and non-therapeutic support from time of referral, information and assistance through the CJS if requested, practical support and advice (e.g., with housing and finance). They work with partner agencies to ensure service planning is co-ordinated. Their remit is to help victims make the transition to survivor (Robinson and Hudson, 2011).
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