Multifactorial Model of Violence Against People with Disabilities
Dick Sobsey
University of Alberta


Program  Description

This program describes the strong association between violence and
disability and explains the association through three pathways: (1)
Violence causes disability, (2) some phenomena and events increase risk for
both disability and for violence, and (3) disabilities have direct and
indirect effects that increase risk for violence. A multi-factorial model
is used to explain how the presence of disabilities leads to increased
risk. These factors include: (1) direct effects of disability on the
ability of the individual to avoid, escape from, or resist violence, (2)
offender traits that result in the selection of individuals with
disabilities as potential victims, (3) roles and relationships that
increase risk, (4) environmental factors that increase risk, (5) systemic
limitations of social agencies (e.g., police, social services) to protect
individuals with disabilities, and (6) culturally embedded attitudes and
beliefs that encourage violence against people with disabilities.

Course Outline:
    . Incidence of child maltreatment among children with disabilities
    . Incidence of violence among adults with disabilities
    . Association does not clarify causality
    . Violence as a cause of disability
    . Factors that increase both violence and disability
    . Disability as a risk factor for victimization
    . Multi-factorial model
    . Direct effects of disability on the ability of the individual to
      avoid, escape from, or resist violence
    . Offender traits that result in the selection of individuals with
      disabilities as potential victims
    . Roles and relationships that increase risk
    . Environmental factors that increase risk
    . Systemic limitations of social agencies to protect individuals with
      disabilities
    . Culturally embedded attitudes and beliefs that encourage violence
    . Disinibition
    . Ambivalence Theory

Learning Objectives:
    . The learner will.
    . Identify the extent of association between child maltreatment and
      disability
    . Identify the extent of association between adult violence and
      disability
    . Describe the difference between a causal relationship and an
      association
    . List three pathways that link violence and disability
    . Name at least three mutual risk factors for violence and disability
    . Identify brain injury and spinal cord injury as conditions commonly
      resulting from violence that cause disability
    . Identify direct effects of impairments that increase vulnerability
    . Identify secondary effects of disability that increase vulnerability
    . Identify attributes of offenders who target victims with disabilities
    . Define counter-control and power inequities
    . Identify roles and relationships that increase risk for people with
      disabilities
    . Define social control agencies or social guardians
    . Describe limitations of social control agencies in addressing violence
      against people with disabilities.
    . Identify environmental factors that increase risks for people with
      disabilities
    . Define disinhibition
    . Describe ambivalence theory
    . Identify culturally embedded attitudes and beliefs that increase
      violence against people with disabilities