CYIL vol. 15 (2024)

VIOLETA VASILIAUSKIENĖ, BIRUTĖ PRANEVIČIENĖ Status Report on Violence Prevention in 2012 from WHO found that interpersonal violence results in 475,000 deaths worldwide. 14 It is important to note that violence does not require physical injury, but rather can have a variety of negative outcomes, including social and economic. The World Report on Violence and Health distinguishes the following types of violent acts: “physical, sexual, psychological, involving deprivation or neglect.” 15 Several studies have found that disabled individuals are at increased risk for all types of violence. 16 1 in 5 disabled people are victims of violence, in particular children and elderly being at increased risk. 17 Study by Mitra and Mouradin found that intimate partner violence is significantly more prevalent in disabled adult men (19 %) and women (36 %) vs. non disabled men (13 %) and women (22 %). 18 These results are further supported by findings in the UK, showing that people with mental illness were 3 times more likely to experience violence than those without and people with non-mental disability were 1.8 times more likely to experience domestic and non-domestic violence. 19 Some studies report that persons with disabilities have more than double the risk of experiencing sexual violence, although this can vary by region and socio-economic status. 20 In addition to physical violence, disabled people are also susceptible to psychological violence. With the rise of internet, social media has become a new medium of potential source of violence against disabled people. “People living with chronic conditions and disabilities experience harassment both offline and on the web. <…> Almost 1 in every 2 adults with chronic conditions was cyber-victimized. Most victims (53/69, 77%) had disabilities; the relationship between cybervictimization and disability was statistically significant 21 . Violence is a significant burden to disabled people living at home and at institutions. According to the European Disability Forum, over one million people live in institutions in the EU. 22 “The 2003 report on the situation of minority women in the 14 KRNJACKI, L., EMERSON, E., LLEWELLYN, G., KAVANAGH, A.M. ‘Prevalence and risk of violence against people with and without disabilities: findings from an Australian population-based study’ (2016) Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health , Vol. 40, 16. https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12498, p. 16. 15 KRUG, E. G., DAHLBERG, L. L., MERCY, J. A., ZWI, A. B., LOZANO, R. ‘World report on violence and health’ (World Health Organisation, 2002) accessed 11 June 2024, p. 7. 16 Hughes n (3); Krnjacki n (14); FANG, Z., CERNA-TUROFF, I., ZHANG, C., LU, M., LACHMAN, J. M., BARLOW J. ‘Global estimates of violence against children with disabilities: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis’ (May 2022) Lancet Child Adolesc Health , Vol 6(5), 313 doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(22)00033-5. 17 Council of the European Union ‘Disability in the EU: facts and figures’ (last review 4 March 2024) accessed 11 June 2024. 18 MITRA, M., MOURADIAN, V.E. ‘Intimate partner violence in the relationships of men with disabilities in the United states: relative prevalence and health correlates’ (2014) Journal of Interpersonal Violence 29(17), 3063. 19 KHALIFEH, H., HOWARD, L., OSBORN, D., MORAN, P., JOHNSON, S. ‘Violence against people with disability in England and Wales: Findings from a national cross-sectional survey’ (2013) PLoS One 8(2). 20 MAILHOT AMBORSKI, A., BUSSIÈRES, E.L., VAILLANCOURT-MOREL, M.P., JOYAL, C.C. ‘Sexual Violence Against Persons With Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis’ (2022) Trauma, Violence, & Abuse 23(4), 1330. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838021995975; P. DE BEAUDRAP, C. MOUTÉ, E. PASQUIER, A. TCHOUMKEU, C.D. TEMGOUA, A. ZERBO, MAC-SEING, M., BENINGUISSE, G. ‘Burden of and Risk Factors for Sexual Violence among Women with and without Disabilities in Two Sub-Saharan African Countries’ (2022) Global Health Action 15 (1) doi:10.1080/16549716.2022.2077904. 21 ALHABOBY, Z. A., BARNES, J., EVANS, H., SHORT, E. ‘Cybervictimization of Adults with Long-term Conditions: Cross-sectional Study’ (17 May 2023) Journal of Medical Internet Research 25: e39933. doi: 10.2196/39933. 22 European Disability Forum ‘Independent living and de-institutionalisation Policy’ accessed 11 June 2024.

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