IMPACT:Ability

IMPACT:Ability brings together a sexual violence prevention program with a Boston disability services agency. Together, they worked to create culture change supportive of equitable practices and multiple forms of relationships for people with disabilities. Meg Stone, IMPACT:Ability Executive Director and Keith Jones presented September 1, 2016 at the National Sexual Assault Conference on their work “Collaborating with the Disability System to Prevention Sexual Assault and to Support Survivors with Disabilities.” IMPACT implemented policies that support the ethical and equitable treatment of people who receive services at a disability services day program in Boston. Using a variety of evaluation methods, Ms. Stone reported most non-managerial staff could not correctly identify proper reporting protocol in 2012 before her intervention. In 2014, post-intervention evaluations demonstrated most staff could correctly identify reporting protocols and were more likely to report caregiver abuse of a client with disabilities.IMPACT:Ability is an evidence-based program that uses a three pronged approach to:

  • build capacity within agencies to support and report abuse using model policies and procedures;
  • empower people with disabilities with relationship skills necessary to pursue safe, healthy, and consensual interactions with others; and
  • provide organizational consulting and consent training, including sexual violence prevention model policies (code of ethics, mandated reporter of abuse, participant-on-participant abuse, whistleblower, abuse disclosure checklist, residential sexuality).

Credit

Post written by Cierra Olivia Thomas Williams, Prevention Specialist at Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Creating Access: Supporting Survivors of Sexual Assault with Disabilities by CALCASA

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.


Credit

Post written by Cierra Olivia Thomas Williams, Prevention Specialist at Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Sexual Abuse of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: Analysis and Recommendations for Ohio

“Sexual Abuse of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: Analysis and Recommendations for Ohio” was published in 2015 by Disability Rights Ohio. This document examines contributing factors for sexual violence (isolation, for example), support services, and gaps in the criminal justice system for people with disabilities. The free download contains examples and recommendations for improvements to support systems for people with disabilities and is recommended reading to understand the depth and breadth of the problem of sexual violence for people with disabilities.