NCJ Number
145384
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (1993) Pages: 127-130
Date Published
1993
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Professionals who work with sexually abused handicapped children are faced with the problem of identifying the type of treatment most suitable for the specific circumstances.
Abstract
Children with disabilities are doubly threatened by sexual and physical abuse, precisely because their families have the added stresses brought on by caring for a disabled child, including isolation, misinformation, unrealistic expectations, and limited resources; the physical and emotional energy required by children with disabilities may be too taxing for already stressed families, particularly those with a history of abuse; and the critical issues of physical boundary awareness can become confused in a family dealing with a handicapped child. Therapeutic options do not currently meet the challenges of children who are nonverbal or who have moderate to severe communication disorders and other types of disabilities. To be successful, existing therapeutic residential programs should strive to individualize program components according to abilities, provide outcomes to determine if abuse recurs, and illustrate the range of family issues that exist and may interfere with therapy.