Examining Emerging Strategies to Prevent Sexual Violence: Tailoring to the Needs of Women With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

Sexual violence (SV) negatively impacts women with disabilities disproportionately, especially those with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD). The 2 populations are included in this article as there are overlaps in diagnostic criteria as well as similar risk factors associated with the experience of SV. Despite lacking comprehensive and consistent data, it is estimated that women with IDD are 1.5 to 10 times as likely to experience SV as nondisabled women. Furthermore, it is estimated that 97–99% of perpetrators in these crimes are well known, trusted by, and often service providers for women with IDD. Using the public health model to examine SV against women with IDD, 3 emerging prevention strategies are profiled in this article: bystander intervention, working with men and boys, and promotive and protective factors. Nuance is provided regarding the differences in deployment of the featured SV prevention strategies for women with IDD. In an effort to tailor the strategies to the needs of women with IDD, this article synthesizes information from a January 2008 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Workshop on Emerging Strategies to Prevent Violence Against Women with data from 6 CDC Workshop participant follow-up interviews.