People With Disabilities
People with disabilities are twice as likely to experience abuse and violence. Those with intellectual disabilities are seven times more likely to experience sexual assault. IMPACT’s organization-wide approach to abuse prevention gets to the root of the problem by addressing reasons why it exists.
The Issue
- People with disabilities are expected to comply with the wishes of staff and caregivers. Being expected to follow rules and facing consequences for refusing to do so puts people with disabilities, especially those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, at risk.
- People who need help with personal care are touched without their consent, and that can teach people that their boundaries aren’t valued.
- People with disabilities lack access to accessible education about healthy sexuality, self-advocacy and self-protection.
- Ableism and discrimination against people with disabilities.
Our Approach
- Leadership Development to help you build a culture that welcomes constructive challenge, supports self-advocacy, and creates respect and trust
- Official Polices that support choice and self-advocacy and give whistleblower protections to staff and program participants who speak up about abuse
- Staff Training and Development to recognize abuse, support healthy sexuality, and speak up when they see risky situations
- Training for Individuals on healthy relationships, healthy sexuality, empowerment self-defense, and online safety
Our Initatives
Ability:IMPACT
An empowerment approach to abuse prevention that teaches skills directly to youth and adults with disabilities, enabling them to take control of their safety. Ability:IMPACT tracks include Self-Defense & Self-Advocacy, Healthy Relationships & Healthy Sexuality, and Online Safety.
ASAP: Adaptive Sports Abuse Prevention
A train-the-trainer curriculum for leaders at adaptive sports organizations to train their staff and volunteers in spotting concerning behavior, having challenging conversations that disrupt abuse, and creating policies that prevent abuse while honoring the closeness and support that make adaptive sports unique.
Abuse Prevention
Collaborative trainings that involve creating official policies that protect people who report suspected abuse, provide clear direction for how to respond to abuse reports, and clearly define safe and healthy interactions.
Customized Programs
Specialized training to meet your needs. Many communities and organizations have specific safety needs or concerns. Whether you’re addressing an incident, responding to hate speech and threats, or preparing for community events, IMPACT can help.
We work with you to develop customized classes, facilitate stakeholder meetings, or create a detailed abuse prevention plan.
Our collaborators include social service agencies, domestic violence and sexual assault programs, home visitors, youth development programs, community centers, activist groups, adult education centers, counseling centers, performance venues and many others.
Specialized training to meet your needs