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Sexual abuse of the mentally handicapped: difficulties in establishing prevalence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Ann Buchanan  and
Robert Wilkins
Ann Buchanan
Affiliation:
Faculty of Social Sciences (Social Work), University of Southampton, Southampton S09 5NH
Robert Wilkins
Affiliation:
Paxton Family and Young Persons Unit, Reading, Berkshire
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That adults with mental handicap∗ are particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation is not new, although relatively unacknowledged or investigated. Indeed successive acts under the mental health legislation have sought to protect them, particularly those with severe mental handicap. With the growing awareness and identification of sexual abuse of children, and the growing knowledge of the long-term psychological effects (Jehu, 1989), which may be even more severe for people who have disabilities (Kennedy, 1990; Sinason, 1989), it has been acknowledged that not only are the mentally handicapped particularly vulnerable to abuse (Benedict et al, 1990), but the problem may well be seriously underestimated by those working in management positions (Brown & Craft, 1989). While it is recognised that the mentally handicapped have rights and need to express their sexuality, they also have the right not to be exploited or abused. We therefore need to know more about the numbers, indicators and circumstances where this group may be sexually abused and to develop policies, systems and training to protect them (Brown & Craft, 1989). This pilot study was a step in this process.

Type
Original articles
Information
Psychiatric Bulletin , Volume 15 , Issue 10 , October 1991 , pp. 601 - 605
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1991

References

Benedict, M. I., White, R. B., Wulff, L. M. & Hall, B. J. (1990) Reported maltreatment in children with multiple disabilities. Child Abuse and Neglect, 14, 207–217.Google Scholar
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Jehu, D. (1989) Beyond Sexual Abuse: Therapy with women who were victims in childhood. Chichester: John Wiley.Google Scholar
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Sinason, V. (1989) Uncovering and responding to sexual abuse in psychotherapeutic settings. In Thinking the Unthinkable (eds. Brown, H. and Craft, A.). London: Family Planning Association.Google Scholar
Sobsey, D. & Varnhagen, C. (1989) In Special Education across Canada (eds. Sapo, & Gougen, ). Vancouver Centre for Human Development and Research.Google Scholar
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