Can children with disability be sexually abused?
Research at the international level has shown that children with disabilities are 3.4 times more likely to be abused compared with non-disabled children. Other studies have concluded that risk of sexual abuse is doubled when a child is disabled (Child Abuse & Neglect, Feb 2005 & Mar 2004). Considering that almost 12 million children in India are disabled (differently able), it is alarming to consider the possible prevalence of sexual abuse of disabled children in India. The issue assumes greater significance considering societal denial of child sexual abuse, compounded by the fact that children, especially those with disability, are viewed as “asexual” and hence kept away from any information on sexuality. The myth that disabled children cannot be abused, since abusers find them unattractive and feel sorry for them, is also widely held.
