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Via ACL.gov
On June 14, 2023, ACL and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health hosted an equity-focused webinar on sexual violence against people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD): “Survivors’ Circle: A Conversation with People with Disabilities About Sexual Violence and How to Address It.” More than 1,100 people attended the webinar from places all around the world.
A series of distinguished speakers kicked off the event. Jill Jacobs, Commissioner of the Administration on Disabilities at the Administration for Community Living, welcomed attendees to the webinar. Cailin Crockett, Senior Policy Advisor to the White House Gender Policy Council, presented about the work the White House is doing to combat sexual assault, such as the recent release of the National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. Kara Ayers, Director of the National Center for Disability, Equity, and Intersectionality, gave an overview of data and details about the sexual assault against people with I/DD. Lynn Rosenthal, HHS Director of Sexual and Gender-based Violence in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, introduced the panel of sexual assault survivors with I/DD,
The focus of the webinar was hearing the lived experiences of three survivors of sexual assault who have I/DD, in a panel moderated by Nancy Smith, Director of Activating Change. Kecia Weller, Cindy Bentley, and James Meadours shared their stories, describing the trauma they faced and explaining their ideas for how service providers can better support survivors with disabilities. Some of the panelists were assaulted by people they knew and trusted, while others experienced assault in long-term care institutions, demonstrating the widespread risk of assault people with I/DD face. They all went through their own healing journeys that continue to this day and they engage in sustained advocacy for better support for survivors with I/DD like themselves. The panelists said service providers must treat survivors with disabilities with the respect, dignity, and empathy they deserve. They also emphasized the importance of service providers believing survivors with I/DD who report assault and ensuring that resources and reporting methods are provided in accessible formats.
The webinar ended with a list of resources about sexual assault and confirmation of continuing education credits. Attendees were given the option to opt into an email list about future events on this topic. We thank the speakers and panelists for their candor and bravery.
Webinar materials:
Resources:
- Activating Change: https://www.activatingchange.org/
- The National Center for Disability, Equity, and Intersectionality: https://thinkequitable.com/
- Association of University Centers on Disabilities: http://aucd.org
- Department of Defense (DoD) SAFE Helpline: https://www.safehelpline.org/
- RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline and Online: http://www.rainn.org
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline: http://thehotline.org