December, 2005
Columns can be difficult to begin. At times, I have so much to say about a topic, I feel as if I'm going to explode. This is especially true if the topic is an emotional one. I'm an emotional person by nature. I cry after watching a sad TV commercial or reading a thoughtful greeting card. The holiday season is always an emotional time for me.
There is a stereotype in our society that says holidays should be a happy time for everyone. Families should get along. Problems and conflicts should be overlooked. But most people know that this is just not reality. The holiday season can bring about conflicts, even violent ones.
It's typical for me to share a personal experience that relates to the topic of my columns. My rationale is people will relate to the information I'm sharing...if they can relate to me. While I know there are some readers, for whom this is true, I'm sure there are others out there saying...O.K., just give me the bullet already...
Well, here it is... I was in a situation recently in which I felt physically threatened by someone. In fact, I called the police (something I've never done) because I knew that the potential for violence existed at that moment. I often joke that my life is a Jerry Springer Show waiting to happen, but this was definitely not funny. Soon enough, I was thinking about correlations between my experience and those of other people with disabilities. I realize of course, that you don't have to have a disability to experience a threatening situation, but what can I say, that is how my mind works.
According to the Office for Victims of Crime, a national organization that provides funding for state victim assistance and compensation programs, the rate of violent crime is 5 to 10 times higher against people with disabilities than against the general population. And approximately 5 million serious crimes are committed annually against people with developmental disabilities.
People with disabilities are often isolated and targeted for violent crime because of their real or perceived inability to fight or flee. They have barriers to reporting crime that don't exist for people without disabilities, like a lack of physical and programmatic access to victim services and the courts. Even if they report the crime, they can face attitudinal barriers about their disability and the seriousness of the offense.
The good news is, these barriers are slowly coming down. People with disabilities are being recognized as an underserved group by victim organizations and law enforcement.
For more information contact: The National Center for Victims of Crime , 1-800-FYI-CALL, 1-800-211-7996 (TTY) or The Office for Victims of Crime , 1-800-851-3420, 1-877-712-9279 (TTY).