Persons With Disabilities as Victims of Crimes Delaware 2010

Author: Nancy Plerhoples

Publication Date: 2010

During this period, there were 937 police crime reports that indicated the victims were persons with disabilities. Forgery-fraud-larceny were involved in 267 calls (29 percent). Assaults were involved in 20 percent of the cases that involved victims with disabilities. In most of the cases, the police did not know or did not record a disabled victim's relationship with an offender (64.2 percent). For the cases in which the victim's relationship with the offender was known, data are provided for various types of offenses as to whether the offender was a spouse, another family member, a child, a boyfriend/girlfriend, a friend/neighbor, or employer. A separate table reports the number of cases in which the offender was unknown or was a stranger. Another table provides data on the number of violent offenses committed against disabled persons (offenses of homicide, kidnapping, robbery, rape, and assault). The next two tables highlight some of the most serious crimes against disabled people, including assault, which is the second most likely crime to be committed against a disabled victim. The next table focuses on the category of crimes most likely to be committed against disabled persons, i.e., property crimes. 8 tables and 2 references.

SafePlace has developed a new Power and Control Wheel and Respect Wheel. 

These were developed based on the experiences and input of people with a range of disabilities (through a series of focus groups and interviews) to highlight actions that an abusive partner may use to harm as well as actions that demonstrate respect. These wheels were adapted with permission from the Power and Control Wheel and Equality Wheel originally developed by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project in Duluth, MN. These new resources may be  downloaded for free. Feel free to share with others.

2012 NCVRW Community Awareness Project Funding

The National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators, through a grant from OVC, is seeking proposals for projects to raise public awareness of victims' rights and services in communities during National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW), April 22-28, 2012. For more information and an application, visit the NCVRW Community Awareness Projects website.

Articles

 (Note:  Many of the articles appearing below are provided courtesy of the newsfeed summary from the Disability and Abuse Project of SPECTRUM INSTITUTE; thank you, Dr. Nora Baladerian!)

Valpo Man Who Previously Worked with Disabled Children Sentenced in Child Porn Case

Iowa Won't File Charges in Turkey Plant Case

Iowa won't pursue criminal charges against a Texas company that's accused of exploiting developmentally disabled workers at a turkey plant in eastern Iowa. --- BusinessWeek --- September 26, 2011 (IOWA)   http://is.gd/O1lHCP

CPSO Arrests Man for Forcible Rape

In July, the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office received a complaint regarding Isaiah J. Frank, 18, 6617 Estate Lane, Lake Charles, sexually assaulting a 17-year-old mentally handicapped female on numerous occasions between June 27th ... --- KPLC-TV --- September 27, 2011   (LOUISIANA)   http://is.gd/fy3hDH

State Worker Arrested in Group-Home Drowning

A state worker was arrested today on a felony manslaughter charge in the drowning death of a severely disabled man who was left unattended in a group home bath tub while ... --- Minneapolis Star Tribune --- September 29, 2011 (MINNESOTA) http://is.gd/OordFw

Former NJ Caseworker Admits Abusing 3 Disabled Adults in Hunterdon County

A former state caseworker pleaded guilty yesterday to charges she abused three residents at a state-licensed home for disabled adults in Bloomsbury. --- Hunterdon County Democrat - NJ.com --- September 27, 2011   (NEW JERSEY)   http://is.gd/uh3jPY

Guard Charged in Prison Abuse Investigation

One victim, whom investigators described as "mentally challenged," was punched, smacked, spit on and had water and food thrown at him by Nicoletti. --- Beaver County Times --- September 27, 2011 (PENNSYLVANIA)   http://is.gd/BptO1s

Federal Definition of Rape Criticized, Critics Say

By Erica Goode, NY Times

Disabled Woman: Men Took Turns Raping Me

The mentally retarded woman who says she was repeatedly raped in a state-licensed care facility has told authorities that her alleged attackers took turns violating her in a hallway of the home over a period ... --- DesMoinesRegister.com --- September 24, 2011 (IOWA) http://is.gd/VyGLfa

Mom Wants Answers about Autistic Son's Brutal Beating

Her autistic son was badly beaten August 23 in a group home, but investigators and government regulators are not answering her questions. Stacie Pitcher wants to know ... --- ABC 4 --- September 22, 2011 (UTAH) http://is.gd/yI7BGR

State office investigating alleged abuse of disabled man

CAMBRIDGE, NY - The Office for People with Developmental Disabilities is investigating a report that an employee at the Washington County facility allegedly used a cattle prod on a male resident. The New York Times reported that there was an ... WTEN- Albany - September 20, 2011

An expensive fight over a boy with autism

By Alan Judd The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

When the police came, Stefan Ferrari's teacher described Oct. 21, 2008, in her classroom for autistic children as "a regular, ordinary day." Perhaps it was, except for the tiny digital recorder sewn into the collar of Stefan's shirt. The device, planted by Stefan's mother, collected eight hours and 19 minutes of sound, much of it the banality of yet another school day for a non-verbal 10-year-old. It also captured the teacher and her colleagues talking about sex and martinis. It picked up the teacher's teasing Stefan after he ate pizza from the trash. And it chronicled the threat of a "be-quiet hit" to a crying child, followed by the repeated slaps of an adult's hand against Stefan's bottom...