This special information packet by CALCASA provides an overview of ableism, legal rights, and prevalence of sexual violence of people with disabilities. Not only does the tool provide suggestions for outreach and engagement, it provides a comprehensive list of physical accessibility improvement suggestions and list of disabilities with definitions and disability support agencies in California. The packet includes primary prevention strategies, including suggestions to increasing community inclusion for people with disabilities.
Leadership for Empowerment and Abuse Prevention (LEAP), Virginia Commonwealth University
Applied researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University have developed and are evaluating a healthy relationships program for people with intellectual and development disabilities called Leadership for Empowerment and Abuse Prevention (LEAP). The four-session program (and a one-session abbreviated version) was developed using Universal Design Principles and is co-facilitated by a person with a disability and a support person without a disability. Researchers have been developing and testing participant outcome measures with a pre-test, post-test, and a 3 month follow up. Evaluation was initially in a paper-pencil format but has been moved to video vignette format. Implementation fidelity procedures include an observer checklist (and comments) to ensure consistency of the delivery of the curriculum across the facilitators. Over 600 people have participated in LEAP. Researchers are continuing rigorous outcome evaluation of the program in part due to an OVW Research & Evaluation grant they received for the through 2022.
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Post written by Cierra Olivia Thomas Williams, Prevention Specialist at Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Sexual Health and Disability Education (SHADE), YWCA Metro St. Louis, Missouri
The YWCA of Metro St. Louis, has a full program focused on teaching sex education to folks with disabilities as a component of abuse prevention. The program, called Sexual Health and Disability Education (SHADE), now has 2 full-time staff dedicated to this service. Much of this program is based off of Dave Hingsburger’s work, specifically his Ring of Safety model (6 protective factors for reducing the likelihood of abuse against people with disabilities).
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Post written by Cierra Olivia Thomas Williams, Prevention Specialist at Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Sexual Violence Toolkit by Self-Advocate
Kelsey Cowley (ICADV Disability Consultant) has written and had published a toolkit for self-advocates who want to learn how to prevent sexual violence in their communities. The toolkit called “Starting the Conversation: Addressing Sexual Violence within the Disability Community through Advocacy, Education, and System Change” was recently published by a national agency called Self Advocacy Resource and Technical Assistance Center (SARTAC). This toolkit is so exciting for our field because this is what SVPP (sexual violence primary prevention) can look like when we move beyond consent to consider power.
Post written by Cierra Olivia Thomas Williams of Nothing Without Us Collective.