Why are Developmentally Disabled Adults at Higher Risk of Abuse?

Published on November 12, 2015

Caring for a loved one with developmental disabilities can be extremely difficult. It may require constant supervision and attention that you can’t always provide. This is why many families turn to group homes to help care for their developmentally disabled adult loved one. It’s not an easy decision. In fact, it can be emotionally wrenching for a family that is trying to balance the needs of the disabled family member while still providing the required care for the rest of the family and having some life of their own. This is especially true for families who know that not all group home experiences are positive.

Both in group homes and society in general, the developmentally disabled are vulnerable to all types of abuse. Research has shown that an astounding 83-percent of adult females and 32-percent of adult males who are developmentally disabled are sexually assaulted at some time in their life.

Abuse can take many forms, ranging from physical and sexual assaults to bullying and emotional abuse that are more difficult to prove but whittle away at a person’s dignity and sense of worth. According to disabilityjustice.org, the word “abuse” is a broad term that describes any behavior that is unwanted, intentionally harms an individual, is demeaning or insulting, or causes another person to be afraid.

A Developmentally Disabled Adult is at higher risk of abuse for many reasons including:

• Predators may perceive a person with disabilities to be weak, vulnerable, and less like to report the abuse
• People with abuse are often isolated and dependent on those around them. In Arizona, many group homes are small, containing only 6 residents. With so few residents and staff, there are less witnesses to report the abuse and the resident is less likely to have another caregiver to report the abuse to.
• Many people with disabilities have been victim to verbal abuse, causing low self-esteem and in some cases, a belief that the abuse is deserved or justified

Nearly 1 million people with disabilities fall victim to nonfatal, violent crimes every year, including rape, sexual assault, physical assault, and robbery – and these are only the cases that are reported. If you believe your loved one living in a group home is being abused in any way, take action immediately and contact our Phoenix group home abuse lawyers at Knapp & Roberts.

Your loved one is protected by the laws established by the Division of Developmental Disabilities in Arizona, as well as the Arizona Adult Protective Service Act (sections 46-451 through 46-459). We want to hear your story and help you in any way we can. Our injury lawyers in Phoenix have years of experience with the nuances of Arizona law and can maximize the chances of success in handling neglect and abuse cases involving care facilities. Your initial consultation is completely free. In fact, there’s no charge at all unless we succeed in obtaining a settlement or verdict in your favor. Call us at 480-991-7677 to set up a time to talk today.