DISABILITY AND ABUSE:OVERCOMING

BARRIERS TO SAFETY

AGREEMENTS

HAVE A GOOD TIME It is okay to have a good time. Creating a safe space is about coming together as a community, being mutually supportive, and enjoying each other's qualities.

RESPECT Give undivided attention

to the person who has the floor (permission to speak).

CONFIDENTIALITYWhat we share in this group will remain in this group.

DISCLOSURE We will be as open and honest as possible

without disclosing others' (family, neighbors, or friends) personal or private issues. It is okay to discuss situations, but we won't use names or other ID.

RIGHT TO PASS OR STEP OUT

It is always okay to pass (meaning "I'd rather not" or "I don't want to answer").

NON-JUDGEMENTAL APPROACH

We can disagree with another person's point of view without putting that person down.

SENSITIVITY TO DIVERSITY AND TRAUMA

We will remember that people in the group may differ in cultural background, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity or gender expression and will be careful about making insensitive or careless remarks.

ANONYMITY It is okay to email us any

questions that you feel uncomfortable asking aloud

WHO WE ARE

MISSION

VISION

VALUES

ADVOCACY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED ABUSE

CREATING AN ABUSE FREE CULTURE FOR ALL

SAFETY, ACCOMMODATION, COMPASSION, INCLUSIVITY, FREEDOM

TYPES OF VICTIMIZATIONS WE SERVE

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

WHAT IS DISABILITY?

WHAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?

WHAT IS POWER AND CONTROL?

HOW ARE VULNERABILITY AND DISABILITY RELATED?

HOW DO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND DISABILITY INTERSECT?

HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES?

BREADTH OF DISABILITY

BREADTH OF DISABILITY

BREADTH OF DISABILITY

WHAT IS DISABILITY?

“A PHYSICAL OR MENTAL IMPAIRMENT THAT SUBSTANTIALLY LIMITS ONE OR MORE MAJOR LIFE

ACTIVITIES OF SUCH INDIVIDUAL.”

- AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990 (ADA)

WHAT IS ABLEISM?

“THE PRACTICES AND DOMINANT ATTITUDES IN SOCIETY THAT DEVALUE AND LIMIT THE POTENTIAL OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. A SET OF PRACTICES AND BELIEFS THAT ASSIGN INFERIOR VALUE OR WORTH TO PEOPLE

WHO HAVE DISABILITIES” -STOPABLEISM.ORG

HOW DOES DISABILITY OCCUR?

FROM BIRTHEX. CEREBRAL PALSY,

CYSTIC FIBROSIS, DOWN’S SYNDROME

FROM AN ILLNESSEX. HIV/AIDS, LYME DISEASE,

EPSTEIN BARR VIRUS

FROM AN ACCIDENT EX. BROKEN BONES, SPINAL

CORD INJURY

FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCEEX. TBI, PTSD, ANXIETY, BURNS,

BROKEN BONES

FROM AGINGEX. DEMENTIA, ALZHEIMER'S

DISEASE, CANCER

TYPES OF DISABILITIES

SENSORY

PHYSICAL

HEALTH RELATED

COGNITIVE

DEVELOPMENTAL

MENTAL HEALTH

INTELLECTUAL

PHYSICAL

IMPACTS A PERSON’S ABILITY TO MOVE FREELY, COORDINATE ACTIONS, OR

PERFORM PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

TYPES OF DISABILITIES: PHYSICAL

LOSS OF LIMBS, ARTHRITIS, MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY, FOLLOWING SURGERY, SPINAL INJURY

SENSORY

IMPACTS THE SENSES

TYPES OF DISABILITIES: SENSORY

LOSS OF SIGHT, OR HEARING

HEALTH RELATED

CONDITIONS AFFECTING ONE OR MORE OF THE BODY’S SYSTEMS

TYPES OF DISABILITIES: HEALTH RELATED

CANCER, LUPUS, FIBROMYALGIA, DIABETES, EPILEPSY, CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

COGNITIVE

A VARIETY OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS AFFECTING COGNITIVE ABILITY

TYPES OF DISABILITIES: COGNITIVEINTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, LEARNING

DISABILITIES, BRAIN INJURIES, DYSLEXIA, ADHD, DEMENTIA

DEVELOPMENTAL

A BROAD GROUP OF CONDITIONS THAT BEGIN DURING DEVELOPMENT AND USUALLY LAST

THROUGHOUT A PERSON’S LIFETIME.

TYPES OF DISABILITIES: DEVELOPMENTAL

AUTISM, DOWN’S SYNDROME, INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES (IDD)

MENTAL HEALTH

HEALTH CONDITIONS INVOLVING CHANGES IN THINKING, EMOTION, OR

BEHAVIOR

TYPES OF DISABILITIES: MENTAL HEALTH

DEPRESSION, SCHIZOPHRENIA, BIPOLAR DISORDER, ANXIETY DISORDERS

MEDICAL VS. SOCIAL MODEL

MEDICAL

SOCIAL

• FOCUSES ON A PERSON’S LIMITATIONS• TRIES TO REDUCE IMPAIRMENTS BY

USING TECHNOLOGY TO ADAPT THE PERSON TO SOCIETY

• HOW SOCIETY EITHER PURPOSELY OR INADVERTENTLY EXCLUDES PEOPLE, AND THIS EXCLUSION IS THE MAIN CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN DISABLING A PERSON

SOCIAL MODEL

“In a nutshell, the social model says that though our impairments (our diagnostic, medical conditions) may limit us in some ways, it is the

inaccessibility of society that actually disables us and renders us unable to function. The most basic example is wheelchair accessibility. If I am using

my wheelchair and I can’t go to a restaurant because it doesn’t have a ramp, am I disabled by my cerebral palsy or am I disabled by the

inaccessibility of the restaurant?

If that restaurant has a ramp, I am able to function perfectly within that situation. I am able to go in, sit at a table, order my food, eat it, and pay,

just like everyone else. My wheelchair is not the problem. The inaccessibility of the restaurant is.”

- Cara Liebowitz, “I am Disabled: On Identity-First Versus People-First Language”

LANGUAGE

WHY DOES LANGUAGE MATTER?

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY

LOW VISION, PARTIALLY SIGHTED, BLIND

DEAF, deaf, HARD OF HEARING

ABLE BODIED, PERSON WITHOUT DISABILITIES

WHEELCHAIR USER, PERSON WHO USES A WHEELCHAIR

PERSON WITH AN INTELLECTUAL, COGNITIVE, OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY

THE DISABLED

VISUALLY IMPAIRED, VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

DEAF-MUTE, DEAF AND DUMB, HEARING IMPAIRED

NORMAL PERSON, HEALTHY, WHOLE

WHEELCHAIR BOUND, CONFINED TO A WHEELCHAIR

THE “R WORD”, MENTALLY DEFECTIVE, LEARNING DISABLED

DISABILITY FIRST PERSON FIRST

EMO

TIONAL

ABUSE

ISO

LATI

ON

ECO

NO

MIC

ABU

SE

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND DISABILITY

POWERDomestic violence is an

escalating pattern of behaviors used by one partner to exert power

and control over another partner in an intimate

relationship.

&

CONTROLPhysical, Emotional, mental, financial, sexual, and cyber abuse. Domestic violence

always includes one partner attempting to gain and

maintain power and control over another.

DISABILITY CAN LEAD TO ABUSE, AND ABUSE CAN LEAD TO DISABILITY

DISABILITYDISABILITY

ABUSE

WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES

ARE 40% MORE LIKELY TO BE VICTIMS OF

ABUSE

DOMESTIC VIOLENCEDURING THE AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ WAR (2001-2012)

DURING THAT SAME PERIOD

6,838 TROOPS WERE KILLED

WOMEN WERE KILLED BY THEIR

PARTNERS15,462

INTIMIDATION

ISO

LATI

ON

ECO

NO

MIC

ABU

SE

CARE

GIV

ER

PRIV

ILEG

E

COERCION AND

THREATS

4/5 3/4 1/2

RAPES ARE NOT

REPORTED

PHYSICAL ASSAULTS ARE NOT

REPORTED

STALKINGSARE NOT

REPORTED

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BY THE NUMBERS

MOST HOMELESS FAMILIESLEAVE THEIR HOMES DUE TO

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

43% 57%

OTHER REASONS

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

EMO

TIONAL

ABUSE

ISO

LATI

ON

MINIMIZE,

JUSTIFY,

BLAME

ECO

NO

MIC

ABU

SE

WHY DON’T PERSONS WITH

DISABILITIES WHO ARE

EXPERIENCING ABUSE JUST LEAVE THE SITUATION?

WHY DON’T THEY REPORT THE ABUSE?

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND DISABILITY

POWER AND CONTROL WHEEL INTIMIDATION

EMO

TIONAL

ABUSE

ISO

LATI

ON

MINIMIZE,

JUSTIFY,

BLAME

WITHHOLD, MISUSE, OR

DELAY NEEDED SUPPORT

ECO

NO

MIC

ABU

SE

CARE

GIV

ER

PRIV

ILEG

E

COERCION AND

THREATS

INTERSECTIONALITY

INTERSECTIONALITYGENDER QUEER

AFRICAN AMERICAN

EXPERIENCING PTSD

POOR

HIV POSITIVEREFUGEE

LIVES IN RURAL COMMUNITY

BISEXUAL

60 YEARS OLDINTERSEX

BARRIERS TO ACCESSING SERVICES

INSTITUTIONALATTITUDINAL ENVIRONMENTAL

COMMUNICATING 101

OFFER ASSISTANCE BEFORE PROVIDING

ASSISTANCE

A PERSON’S PERSONAL SPACE INCLUDES THEIR MOBILITY AIDS, NEVER TOUCH OR MOVE THEM

WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION

COMMUNICATE AT EYE LEVEL

PHYSICAL VISUAL

AFTER ASKING FOR PERMISSION YOU MAY

GUIDE A PERSON, OFFERING THE USE OF

YOUR ARM

HEARING

IT IS APPROPRIATE TO TAP THEM ON THE

SHOULDER OR WAVE TO GET THEIR ATTENTION

SPEAK IN YOUR REGULAR TONE OF

VOICE

USE PATIENCE AND DO NOT SPEAK FOR THEM

SPEECH

INTELLECTUAL

USE CONCRETE RATHER THAN ABSTRACT

LANGUAGE

ADULTS WITH ID, ARE ADULTS TREAT THEM AS

SUCH

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI)

LOSS OF COORDINATION

UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR, INCLUDING

COMBATIVENESS, ANXIETY, AND

AGITATION

EXTREME CONFUSION

DILATION OF ONE OR

BOTH PUPILS

SEIZURES OR CONVULSION

LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS

HEADACHE THAT

PERSISTS OR

WORSENS

NUMBNESS OR

WEAKNESS IN THE

FINGERS OR TOES

INABILITY TO

AWAKEN FROM SLEEP

COMA

SLURRED SPEECH

TBI AND PTSD OVERLAP

• HEADACHES• DIZZINESS• NAUSEA• SENSITIVITY TO

LIGHT AND SOUND

• VISION CHANGES• IMPULSIVITY

• FEARFULNESS• FLASHBACKS• NIGHTMARES• AVOIDANCE• NUMBNESS• SELF

DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR

• FATIGUE• INSOMNIA• TROUBLE WITH

MEMORY AND ATTENTION

• DEPRESSION• ANXIETY• IRRITABILITY

TBI PTSD

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

WHAT IS DISABILITY?

WHAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?

WHAT IS POWER AND CONTROL?

HOW ARE VULNERABILITY AND DISABILITY RELATED?

HOW DO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND DISABILITY INTERSECT?

HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES?

MADISSON@THEINITIATIVECO.ORG P: 303.839.5510 ext. 103 F: 303.957.1958

CASEY BEYERSHE, HER, HERS

EMMA@THEINITIATIVECO.ORG P: 303.839.5510 ext. 104 F: 303.957.1958

MADISSON BEDNARKSHE, HER, HERS

EMMA MARTINSHE, HER, HERS

CASEY@THEINITIATIVECO.ORG P: 303.839.5510 ext. 105 F: 303.957.1958

PROGRAM DIRECTOR DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR VICTIM ADVOCATE

WWW.THEINITIATIVECOLORADO.ORG