Assault and Abuse
Negative attitudes in society about disability make women with disabilities vulnerable to violence and abuse. Violence and abuse can happen in many different ways. Abuse can include threats or actions.
Abuse includes:
- physical assault
- sexual assault, which may include rape
- psychological and emotional abuse
- financial abuse
Physical assault or the threat of physical assault is against the law.
It can range from pushing to using weapons. No assault is mild. Even if the assault appears minor, take it seriously. It may be the beginning of a pattern of assault that becomes more serious and happens more often.
Sexual assault or the threat of sexual assault is also against the law, whether your husband, partner or a stranger does it.
It can include forcing you to have sex when you don't want to or making you do sexual acts you don't like. You may agree to have sex because you are afraid. You may agree to have sex when you don't want to because you are in a relationship. This is still sexual assault.
Financial abuse involves controlling your money.
Your partner may not let you know how much money you have, or may not let you have any money of your own. You may have to turn over your paycheque or your social assistance money. You may not even be able to buy food and clothing for yourself and your children. For older people, financial abuse may include taking your pension cheque, forgery of your signature, extortion, wrongful use of power of attorney, or pressuring you to co-sign a loan.
Psychological and emotional abuse is used to make you afraid and to control you.
Some examples are: cutting off your contact with friends and stopping you from making new friends; controlling your activities; not letting you go to school or get a job; treating you as a person with no sexuality; telling you that you caused the violence; threatening to hurt someone or something that is special to you; putting down your accomplishments; insulting you; and neglecting you. If you are a lesbian, it could be threats to "out" you – to tell your family or employer that you are a lesbian. If your partner sponsored you to come to Canada, this kind of abuse could include threats to have you deported. For seniors, constant humiliation, being frightened, being threatened to put you in a nursing home, or being ignored, are forms of abuse.
Over-medication is abusive and too common.
Overmedication can cause serious side effects, including physical or psychological dependence and/or addiction. Medication can be used as a means of behavioural and social control by your health care provider, family or partner. Other forms of medical abuse include using restraints (seen in elderly persons with epilepsy).
All abuse affects your health and well-being.
You may often feel afraid, anxious or depressed. You may find it hard to make decisions or to believe anything can change. It is not unusual to deny to your friends and family, and even to yourself, that you are being abused. You may feel the abuse is your fault, or that you caused an attack. Keep in mind that the abuser wants you to feel this way.
No matter what you do, the abuser is the one who chose to abuse you.
It is not your fault.
Remember, you are not alone.
This guide can help you
to find resources in your community
for information and help.
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Alienation of self. Without proper supports, a woman might leave out the healing process which requires strength and courage. She may never regain a sense of wholeness.
Alienation from others, especially other men, or generally isolating herself from work, family, friends, the community, or anything and anyone she perceives as posing a threat to her.
Physiological side effects. Some abused women living with a seizure disorder experience an increase in the intensity and frequency of their seizures immediately after the sexual assault and/or during therapy when painful memories are uncovered. It has also been reported that some women have developed pseudoseizures or other psychological disorders after a history of sexual abuse or incest.
Fear, such as still feeling effects of trauma and/or fearing the loss of placement or services.
Self-blame can be internalized in a very profound way by a woman with a disability. Added to all the devaluing messages that children with a disability receive while growing up, they may feel they should be grateful for the attention the abuser offers. They may feel there is no hope of doing any better in adult relationships. |
General Information about Violence against Women and its Prevention
Shelters and Crisis Lines for Abused Women
Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Centres
Sexual Assault Treatment Centres
Victim Crisis Assistance and Referral Services (VCARS)
Emergency Checklist for Assaulted Persons
Ontario Women's Directorate/
Direction générale de la condition féminine de l'Ontario
(Government of Ontario)
Ontario Human Rights Commission
180 Dundas Street West, 8th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 2R9
416-314-4500
416-314-4561 fax
800-387-9080 (toll free)
TTY Access: 800-308-5561 (Ontario)
800-309-1129 (416 and 905 exchanges)
http://www.ohrc.on.ca
Email info@ohrc.on.ca
