The Mountaineer

More than 10 years ago, 85 percent of women with disabilities were reported to experience domestic abuse. Of both male and females with cognitive disabilities, a staggering 76 percent were reported to have been sexually assaulted in their lifetime.  

Such figures are the result of national studies conducted in 1996 and 1997, said Denise Coleman, executive director of the 30th Judicial District Domestic Violence-Sexual Assault Alliance. It’s likely that in recent years, the numbers have climbed even higher.

“With these figures, there is potential for more than 9,000 individuals with disabilities to be victims of abuse within Haywood County alone each year,” said Coleman.

That said, over the past two years a group of committed local service providers and agency professionals formed a collaborative partnership to provide a seamless system of supports and services for county individuals with disabilities that experience domestic violence and abuse.

The group referred to as the H.O.P.E. Collaborative, is made up of leadership and staff from the Haywood County Department of Social Services, R.E.A.C.H. of Haywood County, the Arc of Haywood County, Haywood Vocational Opportunities, Smoky Mountain Center and the 30th Judicial District Domestic Violence-Sexual Assault Alliance.

The acronym “H.O.P.E.” means “Helping Our People Emerge…from crisis to healing,” reflecting the group’s commitment to the community and their shared sense of responsibility, Coleman said.

Members of H.O.P.E. are making a deliberate effort to stay ahead of the nationally growing trend of crimes being committed against persons with disabilities. At a recent three-day National Professional Training Conference in Denver, 15 members of the local group attended workshops and training lectures focused specifically on responding to crime victims with disabilities. Of the nearly 600 people in attendance, the largest team represented Haywood County, largely because of grant funding available for training.

As part of training exercises, the team has formalized an action plan aimed specifically at improving services for victims with disabilities.

“The focus was on coordinating a community response team to address victims of crime who have a disability,” said REACH executive director Julia Freeman, “out of which came a 90-day plan to get the initiative off the ground in Haywood County. …Our focus, locally, will be crime victims who have experienced domestic violence and sexual assault.”

During the conference, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs released their findings from a 2007 study, the first national study on crimes against persons with disabilities, said Coleman. According to their statistics, individuals with disabilities, age 12 or older, experienced about 716,000 nonfatal violent crimes, including rape or sexual assault. The study further found that males and females with disabilities experienced violence and abuse at higher rates that those without disabilities — for female victims, abuse doubled for those with disabilities.

“I think what I took away (from the conference) was the awareness that individuals with disabilities are more vulnerable to all violent crimes,” said a REACH victims advocate Tray Shapiro. “And that we need to really reach out to individuals in other settings, such as group homes and fulltime care facilities, even nursing homes, to educate people and be able to accommodate those with any type of disability so that they too can receive services.”

As alarming as current statistics may seem, said Coleman, the numbers exclude a very prominent sector of the population of individuals with disabilities. Most recent data did not include individuals in rest homes, group homes, institutions or other congregate living arrangements. Nor did the study, which relied primarily on personal interviews and surveys, offer accommodations for those who are unable to read or comprehend the questions. The study also did not include crimes that resulted in death.

“Although these statistics are still alarming, the study effectively neglected to capture the data of some of our most vulnerable individuals with disabilities,” she said.

In light of statistics, Freeman said she’s become more aware than ever of the need for collaborative action.

“One thing I took away from the conference is that when responding to individuals with disabilities, each situation is unique,” she said.  “And all of our agencies need to address those needs together, making accommodations for those diverse populations, whether the individuals have physical, developmental or cognitive disabilities.”

For additional information on the H.O.P.E. Collaborative and its work in Haywood County, contact the Alliance at 452-2122. For information on the collaborative partner agencies, visit HVO at www.hvoinc.com; R.E.A.C.H. at www.haywoodreach.com; the Arc of Haywood at www.arcofhaywood.org; DSS at www.dsshaywood.org; Smoky Mountain Center at www.smokymountaincenter.com; and the Alliance at www.30thalliance.org.