Lost voices part 1: A narrative case study of two young men with learning disabilities disclosing experiences of sexual, emotional and physical abuse

Abstract

Accessible Summary Two young men who have learning disabilities were students at a college. While they were there, they were sexually abused by people who were meant to care for them. When they tried to tell people, some people would not listen. Some people listened but could not understand them. They became mentally ill because of the abuse. Then, some people started to listen and help them tell their stories. Then, the police and the courts said that the two young men could not give evidence in court because of their learning disabilities. This paper matters because it writes about ways to protect people with learning disabilities from people who abuse them. We need to try and help people who have been abused to tell their stories. We need to make sure those stories are listened to. Abstract Two young men disclosed emotional, sexual and physical abuse while attending college and living with Shared Lives carers in the UK. This paper provides a narrative account of the period when the two men were exposed to the abuse, the disclosures, the investigation and the legal and safeguarding investigation outcomes. A second paper describes the therapeutic response and outcomes for the men. A review of the literature on abuse and learning disabilities highlights the difficulties in conducting research in this area. Authors find significant barriers exist to disclosing abuse and to being believed. Prosecutions are rare despite evidence that abuse may be widespread towards people with learning disabilities. This paper considers the narrative experience of the two young men, the barriers they faced to being heard and believed and how their personal accounts were discounted and eventually lost to the investigation. Lessons for practice are considered for learning disability mental health and social care professionals, education, police and legal services. Further research suggestions are made.

Getting our voice heard: empowering people with a learning disability to influence adult safeguarding policy

“…Willott et al (2020) found that under reporting of sexual violence against people with a learning disability remains an on-going problem. Moreover, legal and safeguarding systems are often based on procedures that are inaccessible to adults with a learning disability (Digman, 2021), and prosecutions are uncommon and often unsuccessful (Murphy et al, 2007).…”

“…Whilst the professional voice has been privileged in defining adult abuse and creating a regulatory framework in response, some, albeit limited, research has explored the perceptions of people with a learning disability who have experienced abuse (Eastgate et al, 2011;Leutar et al, 2014). Digman (2021) presents a narrative account of two male students, based in the UK, who experienced sexual, physical and emotional abuse, concluding that the perspective and experience of these victims, each of whom have a learning disability, often became lost within safeguarding processes. Digman identifies the need for victims, including those with profound communication issues, to have a voice in all matters relating to their safeguarding and care.…”

Lost voices part 2: Modifying psychological therapies for two young men with complex learning disabilities following alleged sexual and physical abuse: A case study in trauma recovery

“…It details the therapeutic work, beginning with early response and covering 2 years of psychological interventions. The first paper describes the events prior to disclosure, the disclosures, the responses of professional agencies (legal, social care, mental health and education) and the immediate outcomes for the victims and their families (Digman, 2021). James and George were accommodated at college in the same Shared Lives provision with two people engaged as carers by an agency, S (female) and T (male).…”