Double jeopardy: a comparison of persons with and without disabilities who were victims of sexual abuse and/or sexual assault

Abstract

This article compares individuals with and without disabilities who also were victims of sexual abuse and/or sexual assault. Data are from all state-funded agencies in a midwestern state providing services to victims. Matching the sample to control for demographic differences, the findings indicate that individuals with disabilities who sought services were significantly more likely to be victims of adult sexual abuse and/or assault compared to those without disabilities. They were significantly more likely to be referred by a social service program and significantly less likely to be self-referred. In addition, significant differences existed between the groups related to service receipt indicating that victims with disabilities received more services. The implications of these findings for policy and practice are discussed.