A report on violence against kids with disabilities is sobering — if not surprising

A report on violence against kids with disabilities is sobering — if not surprising Enlarge this image gaiamoments/Getty Images gaiamoments/Getty Images A new study suggests that nearly a third of children and adolescents with disabilities has experienced violence – defined as physical, emotional or sexual abuse as well as neglect. Nonetheless, "I think this is a very important study because it shows that violence against disabled children happens in different countries of varying income levels," says Mia Ives Rublee, director of the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank in Washington, D.C. "It gives us a framework to ask what we are going to do about this violence, including calling on all governments to provide enough resources and information to communities to help alleviate the situation." Children with disabilities may not understand what constitutes violence or have power to fully protect themselves, including not possessing verbal or mental capacity to understand and report violence. We have to create new social norms and educational, social service, health and other systems that prevent and respond effectively to violence against children with disabilities.