Note: In this article, we use identity-first language (“disabled people”), consistent with the preference of many in the disability self-advocacy community. We acknowledge that some people prefer person-first language (“person with a disability”).
An individual living with a disability is four times more likely to be sexually assaulted in their lifetime than non-disabled people, according to the US Department of Justice. They’re also less likely to report it.
To equip New York State sexual violence advocates to better serve disabled people reporting an assault, six Sargent doctoral students in occupational therapy (OT) researched the issue and presented their findings to an annual meeting of the New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NYSCASA) in May 2024.
Each student researched and presented on a different category of disability: intellectual disability, developmental delay, physical disability, hearing impairment, visual impairment, and serious mental illness. They defined each one, discussed its prevalence, outlined the specific considerations in supporting a survivor with a particular disability, and provided the advocates with resources for further learning.
“There’s a lot of information in general about sexual assault. But with sexual assault and disabilities, we want to help people avoid lumping anyone with a disability into one bucket,” says Gia Baldassano (’25), whose presentation focused on survivors with physical disabilities. “For example, someone who may have vision impairments might have different advocacy needs from someone who has Down syndrome.”
Anne Cunningham (’25) presented on advocacy needs of survivors with intellectual disabilities. She says she’s found that disabled people, and those with intellectual disabilities in particular, are sometimes stereotyped as being asexual, which can make it even more difficult for them to recognize when they have experienced abuse and make it more challenging to reach out for services.
“I feel like I can’t hammer home enough the emphasis on needing comprehensive sex education that’s accessible and available to not just disabled people, but all adolescents and all people, generally,” Cunningham says.
We want to help people avoid lumping anyone with a disability into one bucket.
—Gia Baldassano (’25)
The opportunity for Sargent doctoral students to speak in May was the result of a conversation between William Rivera, NYSCASA interim executive director, and Emily Rothman, professor and chair of occupational therapy, about one of Rothman’s research studies on counseling college sexual assault survivors who are autistic. Rivera indicated he would like to address the topic at the 2024 training for sexual assault advocates and counselors. Rothman immediately thought of her students.
“I told Will, ‘I know a bunch of students who are pretty passionate about trying to convey information about how to help disabled people and are also passionate about sexual violence prevention. So I see a real fit here,’” Rothman says. Within an hour of emailing 42 of the OT entry-level doctoral students asking for 6 volunteers to help with the presentation, Rothman had her group set. She says the students, who were not paid for their work, stepped up because they care deeply about helping assault survivors in the disability community. A few of the students, Rothman says, reached out to disabled individuals in order to build their sections of the presentation.
“I feel very impressed by the students and grateful to them,” Rothman says. “As a teacher, one of the things I appreciated about this opportunity is that we found a way to capitalize on the raw energy and enthusiasm that students bring to addressing real-world challenges, where we’re showing up as our best selves, as teachers, as learners, and as community members. I see them learning by leaps and bounds, because they’re learning as they’re doing. So, it’s a win-win all the way around.”