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Article: Childhood sexual abuse: what rehabilitation counselors need to know.
- Article from:
- The Journal of Rehabilitation
- Article date:
- October 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 National Rehabilitation Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Individuals with disabilities are at greater risk of sexual abuse. This includes both people who have congenital disabilities and those with acquired disabilities. Contrary to popular belief that young people with disabilities are protected from abuse and exploitation, there is evidence that they are, in fact, at increased risk for sexual abuse and maltreatment. In a British Columbia (Canada) survey of 16,000 high school students, 38% of those students with disabilities reported having been sexually abused or assaulted, compared with 17% of those without disabilities (Murphy, 1995). The fact that youth who have disabilities are at a higher risk for sexual abuse indicates ...