Victims with Disabilities

Crime rates that involve crimes against children and adults with disabilities far exceed rates of crime against individuals who do not have disabilities. Children and adults with disabilities who become victims of abuse and other crimes need to have equal access to and protection of their rights as crime victims by the criminal justice system. Unfortunately, this access is oftentimes obstructed or made more difficult for victims with disabilities due to a lack of specific training on the part of the professionals who are responsible for providing first response services to them. This trainer’s guide and companion DVD presents knowledge to professionals who may need to provide first response services to crime victims who have cognitive or communicative disabilities. It provides a specific set of guidelines for these first responders and helps professionals hone their ability to work with individuals who present specific challenges to a successful first response. The DVD provides guidelines for interacting with both adults and children, and places special emphasis on crime victims who have communication and/or intellectual disabilities. This trainer’s guide is divided into four main sections. The first introduces the purpose of the DVD and the creation of the DVD. The second section discusses how to use and view the DVD. The third section provides the trainer with discussion points and questions in the area of exposure and knowledge, profiles for practice, methods of communication, initial contact, transportation, and report writing. Section 4 provides reference and background material including definitions of disability, working with an interpreter, and acronyms and glossary of terms.