Disability Justice and Violence Prevention Spotlight: Catherine Titzer
Although I am not a person with a disability, I have become interested in advocating for victims of abuse who are. After completing a series of research projects over sexual assault legislation in the United States my freshman and sophomore year, I became aware of the higher rates at which individuals with disabilities experience assault. This pushed me to pursue studying this area, so for my International Baccalaureate Extended Essay, a 21-page research essay on a topic of my choice, I researched how bias and stereotypes concerning individuals with disabilities affect the rates of sexual assault they experience. Through this, I was able to meet Dr. Nora Baladerian, who has helped me better understand the need to educate both teachers and guardians of individuals with disabilities on how to deal with sexual assault. As a senior in high school, I have not had the opportunity to publish formal research; however, this is something I hope to do in the future. In addition to writing this research paper, I have also began other initiatives to bring attention to sexual assault and violence in my community. I am a co-founder and host of a podcast, “A Pinch of Prevention,” where we discuss domestic violence and other women’ issues with professionals and those knowledge in the field. I also organize events, write blogs for, and am a member of the Prevention Youth Council in Evansville, Indiana, a youth-led organization that advocates for healthy interpersonal relationships among teens and in the wider community. I have co-founded a committee at my high school whose mission is to ensure that our campus is safe and comfortable for victims of assault; we arrange fundraisers and spirit weeks and get feedback from students on how our school can work to reduce sexual harassment.
What do you do for fun?
In addition to my passion for advocacy work, I also adore dance and have trained in classical ballet for almost my whole life. I have performed in numerous productions with Evansville Ballet and am honored to be dancing the role of Dewdrop Fairy in this year’s production of the Nutcracker! (https://www.evansvilleballet.co)
What does disability justice mean to you as you practice primary prevention?
To me, disability justice means continually educating myself and those around me about the network of laws, stereotypes, and other frameworks that discriminate against and oppress individuals with disabilities. Disability justice revolves around inclusion and ensuring that every person has a voice and is heard.
Does anything about primary prevention need to change to bring disability justice to the world?
Dr. Nora Baladerian’s approach to preparing for an assault through having parents, caretakers, and individuals with disabilities take clear steps to acknowledge and understanding how to deal with sexual abuse has impacted my prevention work. I believe her strategies should be widely implemented.
What are some resources that you have created or that you just love that you want to share (articles, toolkits, etc.)?
I would love to share my research on how bias and stereotypes impact the rates of sexual assault that individuals with disabilities experience. Also, although these resources are not directly towards individuals with disabilities specifically, I would love to share links to my podcast and the Prevention Youth Council’s blog, where teens in my community share their ideas about domestic violence, sexual abuse, and other issues they are passionate about. Listening to “A Pinch of Prevention” at https://open.spotify.com/show/5IMgsfoB6ZuOrQg2vyOTnj?si=VV5NSugKQx-1nSXUhUX5hw and reading blogs at https://preventionyouthcouncil.wordpress.com uplifts the voices of young adults in my community!
