Statistics:

• Individuals with disabilities experience sexual assault or abuse at rates higher than individuals without disabilities, and that victims who have some level of intellectual impairment are at the highest risk of sexual violence (Sobsey et. al, 1995). Because individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are generally taught compliance from a very young age, have difficulty picking up social cues, and may also have intellectual disabilities, they can be easy targets for criminals.

• Research indicates that sexual violence affects about 30% of women in the general population and between two to three times as much for autistic women (Front. Behav. Neurosci., 26 April 2022)

• 1 in 4 youth with autism who had been admitted to a hospital for psychiatric care had a history of being abused (2018)

• More than 70 percent of those with disabilities polled said they had been abused and over 60 percent of family members indicated that their loved one with special needs had been mistreated (2013)

• Children with ADHD are nearly twice as likely to be bullied as their neurotypical peers, and that bullying and cyberbullying are most often experienced in middle or high school

• About 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys in the United States experience child sexual abuse (CDC 2022)

• At least 1 in 7 children have experienced child abuse or neglect in the past year in the United States (CDC 2022)

Additional Learning Content (click the link):
Part 1 & 2: Hand Over Hand & Following Instructions
Part 3: Assent and Escape Behaviors