Addressing Sexual Violence Against Persons with Disabilities in Belgium.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Sociology
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Sexual violence (SV) disproportionately affects vulnerable populations.
• Understanding the specific risks faced by persons with disabilities (PwDs) is crucial for effective prevention.
• Belgian data provides insight into the intersection of disability and SV experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the prevalence and correlates of sexual violence among persons with disabilities in Belgium.
• To identify specific vulnerabilities and risk factors associated with SV in this population.
• To inform the development of targeted interventions and support services.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the nationally representative UN-MENAMAIS survey (n=4944), including adults aged 16-99.
• Assessed lifetime prevalence of hands-on and hands-off sexual violence using validated, behaviorally specific questions.
• Employed logistic regression analyses to explore associations between SV, disability status, sociodemographics, and mental health indicators.

Main Results:

• Persons with disabilities reported a significantly higher lifetime prevalence of hands-on SV (37.8%) compared to those without disabilities (29.4%).
• PwDs exhibited higher rates of depression, anxiety, PTSD, sedative use, and suicide attempts, alongside lower quality of life.
• Individuals assigned female at birth and LGB+ individuals faced higher SV risks; depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance use, and self-harm were strongly associated with increased SV odds.

Conclusions:

• Persons with disabilities experience a disproportionately high burden of sexual violence.
• Mental health issues, sociodemographic factors, and societal barriers like ableism exacerbate SV risk and impact PwDs.
• Targeted, inclusive prevention strategies addressing structural inequalities are essential to reduce SV and revictimization among PwDs.