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A Guide for Family, Friends, and Caregivers
Sexual Contact Is Abusive If Someone Is:
- Physically forced into contact
- Threatened, manipulated, or tricked into contact
- Unable to consent to the activity
- A service provider engaging in sexual contact with a client
Sexual Assault Behaviors
“Hands-off” offenses include
exhibitionism, voyeurism, forced viewing of pornography, sexual
harassment and threats.
“Hands-on” offenses include
forced kissing, molesting breasts, genitals, buttocks, oral/genital
contact, penetration of vagina or rectum with penis, fingers or
objects.
“Harmful genital practices” include
unwarranted, intrusive, and/or painful procedures in caring for genitals or rectal area.
Statistics
- In 81% of cases the offenders were caregivers, 78% family
members
- In 1/3 of cases, sexually abusive acts toward persons with disabilities were witnessed by others.
- One study found that 1/2 of nursing home residents who were victims of sexual assault died within 1 year of their victimization.
Prevention
Learn about sexual assault and how to identify indicators of abuse.
Teach people to tell if someone makes them feel uncomfortable, or if they are assaulted.
Be respectful at all times, especially when providing intimate personal care.
Do background checks on all direct care staff and look for red flags of abuse behavior in their records.
Sexual Assault
Indicators
Physical Indicators
- Bleeding, Bruising, infection, scarring, or irritation to genitals, thighs, rectum, mouth or breasts
- Genital pain or itching
- Presence of semen
- Difficulty walking or sitting
- Sexually transmitted infection
- Weight loss or gain
Behavioral Indicators
- Any significant change in behavior
- Depression
- Sudden avoidance or fear of specific people, specific genders, or situations
- Shying away from being touched
- Sexually transmitted infection
- Withdrawal
- Sleep disturbances
- Sexually inappropriate behaviors
Caregiver Abuse Reg Flags
Grooming
Many offenders will groom their victims before the
assault, often violating the person’s boundaries.
This is done over a period of days, weeks or months in order to ‘test the waters’ and
see how the person will react.
What To Do If You Witness or Suspect Abuse
- Ask the person about the abuse.
- Report the abuse to law enforcement and/or your supervisor.
- Take the victim to the hospital for an examination by a sexual assault nurse examiner or other doctor.
- Contact your local sexual assault service provider.
What To Say To Say To Help A Person Who Has Been Sexually Assaulted
People with disabilities, like anyone else, will be affected by the trauma of a sexual assault. It may help to tell the person:
- I believe you.
- It is not your fault.
- You are not alone.
- I am here for you.
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