“I felt like I deserved it because I was Autistic”: Understanding the Impact of Interpersonal Victimisation in the Lives of Autistic People

Abstract

Research suggests that there is a high prevalence of interpersonal violence and victimisation within the autistic population, and that this accounts for poor mental health outcomes. This study aimed to examine the impact of interpersonal victimisation on autistic adults from their own perspective, and explore what helps or hinders their recovery. One hundred and two autistic adults completed either an online survey, or a spoken interview about their experiences of interpersonal victimisation. We analysed the data using a thematic analysis, and found four overarching themes: 1. The usual for autism (expectations of victimisation, and experiences of othering), 2. Personhood revoked: The cost of living (being part of a neurominority, trauma, masking, and burnout), 3. Unpacking the baggage (impact of hermeneutical injustice) and 4. ‘If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you have to invent the universe first’ (structural inequality and power dynamics, support, and community). Findings highlight the importance of considering the relationship between stigma and victimisation, and the relationship between trauma, masking, and burnout in autistic people. Reducing barriers to support and recovery are contingent on reducing structural inequality and providing better training about autistic people to frontline professionals.

Psychosocial Factors Associated With Camouflaging and Its Relationship With Mental Health and Well-Being in Autistic and Non-autistic People: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review

“…These highly distressing experiences often occurred in the school context, where being seen as different elicited adverse reactions from peers (Boyle, 2021;Humphrey & Lewis, 2008). Over time, driven by concerns for safety and survival, autistic people developed camouflaging strategies to protect themselves against future victimization Cage & Troxell-Whitman, 2019;Chapman et al, 2022;Hull et al, 2017;Kofke, 2019;Loo et al, 2021;Pearson et al, 2022). With camouflaging, participants felt less vulnerable and more confident and secure Cage & Troxell-Whitman, 2019); it not only gave them a respite from bullying but also protected them from the emotional and mental repercussions of being victimized (Chapman et al, 2022).…”

“…Clinical psychologists observed that autistic girls tend to camouflage more than boys due to a greater desire to identify with a social group (Muggleton et al, 2019). Autistic individuals often camouflaged to fit in and belong, be liked by others, and form friendships and romantic connections (Cook et al, 2018;Cook, Crane, et al, 2021;Hull et al, 2017;Milner et al, 2019;Myles et al, 2019;Myles, 2017;Pearson et al, 2022;Samoilis, 2021). Having previously faced rejection for their autistic differences, they felt that they could not be accepted as their autistic selves and thus strived to minimize the visibility of their differences by camouflaging Hickey et al, 2018;Loo et al, 2021).…”

“…burnout. Many autistic participants described camouflaging as a cognitively demanding process that led to mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion, a key feature of autistic burnout Chapman et al, 2022;Cook, Crane, et al, 2021;Hull et al, 2017;Pearson et al, 2022). In two studies, mothers and educators of autistic adolescent girls observed how camouflaging at school left the girls exhausted, leading to meltdowns and a need for alone time (Anderson et al, 2020;Halsall et al, 2021).…”

“…Thirdly, while participants camouflaged to avoid victimization (Subtheme 2.1: Defending Against Bullying and Victimization), camouflaging may in fact in some situations increase the risk of exploitation and abuse, as it entails being compliant and prioritizing others' opinions, even if at the detriment of one's interests (Bargiela et al, 2016;Forster & Pearson, 2020;Pearson et al, 2022).…”