Abuse and deaf children: Some factors to consider

Abstract

Deaf children are uniquely disadvantaged in terms of access to information on safety and abuse. This is often due to misunderstood linguistic and cultural needs which relate to the deaf community. Consequently, a greater number of children who are deaf are placed in potentially abusive situations when compared to their non‐deaf peer group. A high percentage of deaf children have also acquired negative self‐concepts. This is often due to external influences such as educational experiences and family communication. Many deaf children believe that abuse is part of their being deaf. The implications of this are that deaf children are at risk of neglect and abuse as well as long‐term damage to their emotional development and self‐esteem. A number of survivors of physical and sexual abuse have been referred to the National Centre for Mental Health and Deafness, Preston. Some of these referrals have been inappropriate and due to a dearth of local resources. Extremely little support is available for deaf people who have been or are being abused. There are few appropriately trained counsellors equipped with the necessary skills in communicating with deaf people and even fewer trained in deaf awareness. A number of risk factors have been identified and are illustrated in this article. Three case studies are described to highlight the issues involved.

A Pilot Study of Deaf Trauma Survivors’ Experiences: Early Traumas Unique to Being Deaf in a Hearing World

“…Factors believed to contribute to their increased vulnerability to trauma include, but are not limited to, deprivation of early language development, conflict in the family over education and communication methods, poor/inappropriate parental involvement, low self-esteem, and social isolation (Ridgeway 1993), as well as significant barriers to accessing services in American Sign Language (ASL), which severely limits Deaf individuals’ options for escaping from abusive relationships or other unsafe situations (Nosek et al 2001). …”

Violence and Disability: Experiences and Perceptions of Victimization Among Deaf People

“…Deaf activists attribute this to societal failures to provide the deaf with quality education as well as an accessible form of communication (Corker, 2000). Accordingly, this lack of communication hinders the ability of deaf people to report abuse or locate resources for help (Westcott, 1991), which underscores their increased vulnerability to violence and discrimination (Ridgeway, 1993). This risk may be heightened for deaf children, particularly among the 90% born to hearing parents (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 2016).…”

One of society's most vulnerable groups? A systematically conducted literature review exploring the vulnerability of deafblind people

“…Congenitally deafblind individuals may lack the necessary language and vocabulary to describe or disclose abuse, particularly sexual abuse (Moss & Blaha , Kiekopf ). This is not necessarily because the language itself lacks the appropriate vocabulary, but because parents, educators and communication support workers lack language skills or because necessary terminology has not been developed with deafblind individuals (Ridgeway , Swinbourne ). As a result of these challenges, potential abusers may view deafblind people as safe victims (Kiekopf ) and criminal justice professionals may view them as unreliable witnesses (Moss & Blaha ).…”