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The Risk and Prevention of Maltreatment of Children with Disabilities
Bulletin for Professionals

Author(s):  Child Welfare Information Gateway

Year Published:  2001

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What are the Characteristics of Victims and Perpetrators?

Some researchers have compared the characteristics of maltreated children with and without disabilities. Studies also have looked at characteristics of the adults who maltreat children with disabilities.

Studies that compared the characteristics of maltreated children with and without disabilities reported different findings:

• Crosse et al. (n.d.) found that maltreated children with disabilities were generally older than maltreated children without disabilities
• Sullivan and Knutson (in press) found they were generally the same age
• Wolcott (1997) found they were generally younger.

In addition, Crosse et al. found that maltreated children with disabilities were disproportionately white as compared to maltreated children without disabilities, but Wolcott found the proportions of both groups who were white to be about the same. All three studies found that maltreated children with disabilities were more likely to be male than maltreated children without disabilities, although it should be noted that more males are diagnosed with disabilities.

Most studies of adult perpetrators indicate that the majority of perpetrators are family members; this is true for maltreated children with and without disabilities (Crosse et al., n.d.; Sullivan & Cork, 1996). Among all family members, mothers are most frequently the perpetrators of maltreatment (Crosse et al., n.d.; Sullivan & Knutson, in press), although it should be noted that mothers are most often the primary caretakers of children (Sobsey, 1994). However, sexual abuse of children with disabilities is more often committed by males who are not relatives of the victims; this is also true for children without disabilities who are sexually abused (Sobsey, 1994; Sullivan & Knutson, in press).

Non-family members who maltreat children with disabilities come in contact with their victims in many different ways. Perpetrators can include teachers, health care providers, residential care providers, transportation staff, volunteers, babysitters, and peers (Ammerman & Baladerian, 1993; Sobsey, 1994).

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Updated on October 9, 2009