The Intersection of Disability, Trauma and Violence and the Role of Disability Service Professionals

In a study of crimes committed by people with serious mental disorders, only 7.5 percent were directly related to symptoms of mental illness. American Psychological Association (2014)   

If we were able to magically cure schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression…violence would go down by only about 4 percent. Dr. Jeffrey Swanson - Duke Medicine

After examining many studies, we did not find a higher risk of violent crime by people with high functioning autism. Matthew Lerner (2012)

People with mental illness and other disabilities are more likely to be victims of crime than perpetrators.

People with severe mental illnesses are 2 ½ times more likely to be attacked, raped or mugged than the general population. (Hiday, et al.,1999)."

In 2013, people with disabilities in the US experienced about 1 In 2013, people with disabilities in the US experienced about 1.3 million violent victimizations.

Rates of serious violent victimization were more than 3 times higher for those with disabilities than those without disabilities.

Women with a disability are significantly more likely than women without a disability to experience domestic violence in their lifetime 37.3% vs. 20.6% (Armour, 2008)

Among violent crime victims with disabilities, about 1/4th believed they were targeted because of their disability.

Social-Ecological Model Society Community Relationship Individual The social-ecological model has been used since the late 70s to explain many public health issues, including violence. The model allows us to explore the dynamic relationships between people and their environment. In violence prevention, the social-ecological model has two purposes: • To help us understand the factors that put people at risk or protect them from violence • Provides planners with a framework for prevention CDC uses a nested four-level version of the social-ecological model: 1) Individual, 2) Relationship, 3) Community, and 4) Societal

Societal Level Society Community Relationship Individual SOCIETY: refers to the broad societal factors that influence us all such as economic conditions, cultural norms, media messages, policies, and laws. Includes: SOCIETAL COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP INDIVIDUAL • Societal factors that create a level of acceptance or tolerance for violence or create and sustain gaps between different segments of society 10 Prevention at the societal level could include efforts that: • Address social and cultural attitudes toward violent behavior • Offer the same quality of products, services, information, and opportunities to people of all income levels Examples of societal level prevention efforts: • Legislation to encourage employers to offer family-leave options and flexible schedules to both men and women • A national media campaign including TV, radio, newspaper, and Internet methods of communication to create awareness and change the way people think about violence • A state sponsors a billboard campaign designed to reduce the stigma associated with mental health problems • Statewide legislation that provides tax incentives to businesses that partner with school districts to provide learning-based technology and other academic resources in disadvantaged communities

Risk Factors - Societal Societal norms that support male superiority and sexual entitlement Societal norms that maintain women’s inferiority and sexual submissiveness Weak laws and policies related to gender equity Shape behavior More than a habit Taken for granted Sanction behavior Based in culture & tradition Attitudes, beliefs, ways of being Establish a regularity of behavior

Possible Risk Factors - Societal Societal norms that support ableism Societal norms that maintain inferiority and submissiveness of people disabilities Weak laws and policies related to equity and access

So what questions should they be asking us? How can we make sure students with disabilities are included in prevention planning? Are there designs on our campus that might put some students at greater risk? How can we make sure Title IX educational materials are accessible? Does the Title IX administrator know how to make sure they are providing access to the process? How is disability represented on our campus? What does an inclusive environment for people who have experience trauma look like?

Understanding Trauma

Trigger Warnings as an Accommodation  “...the question shifts from should instructors provide trigger warnings to how might educators provide adequate acknowledgement of trauma in the classroom." Angela M. Carter Ph.D. Candidate in Feminist Studies, University of Minnesota

Melanie Thornton mthornt@uark.edu