Despite high rates of abuse, very few people with disabilities get the help they need. That’s part of the problem. There are organizations that work with people with disabilities and those that work with survivors of abuse. There are other systems that are responsible for things like ensuring public safety or providing medical care. But no one system sees its role as specifically working with survivors who have disabilities.
Disability agencies that support a person in the community often do not understand issues related to domestic violence or sexual assault. Domestic violence programs and sexual assault response agencies haven’t been equipped to serve survivors with disabilities. Other systems, like hospitals, schools, and law enforcement agencies that could help a person with a disability stop the abuse don’t know what to do, how to respond, or who to ask for assistance.