NASW-NJ FOCUS Magazine - March 2023

“The Talk”: Giving Disabled Youth a Seat at the Table

By Megan Warshauer, Fairleigh Dickinson University, MSW Class of 2024

According to the U.S. Department of Justice data on sex crimes, people living with disabilities are seven times more likely to be sexually abused in their lifetimes than people without disabilities (1). There is a pressing need to reevaluate how we can provide an inclusive and effective comprehensive sex education (CSE) learning experience for youth with disabilities (YWD). It’s imperative YWD are taught to identify inappropriate touching, the power of consent, and how to recognize when a relationship is unhealthy or abusive. Teachers trained in CSE can deliver appropriate instruction according to the student’s developmental stages with a focus on victimization (2).

Learning about sexuality is a very normal part of human development, but YWD are regularly excluded from general education classes, and alternative arrangements with appropriate accommodations are rarely made. Excluding YWD from or barring access to CSE contributes to the vulnerability of these individuals and increases isolation from their mainstream peers. Specially designed sex education curricula focusing on anatomy, consent, boundaries, respect, and romantic relationships is vital for YWD. Less than 100 years ago, people with disabilities were forcibly sterilized, locked away in same-sex institutions, and punished for having an interest in sexual relationships (3). It wasn’t until 2006 that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities endorsed that people with disabilities have the right to the same quality of sexual and reproductive health services afforded to non-disabled citizens.

Currently, research shows that young adults and adolescents with disabilities are still less knowledgeable about sex than their peers without disabilities (4). Often this is due to lack of access to modified education and misconceptions about the absence of desire for romantic relationships in the lives of this population. Understanding safe and healthy sexual activity, learning how to confirm or deny consent, identifying physical boundaries and exercising bodily autonomy are all very important when curiosity arises and children start developing romantic feelings for others. When provided with information about healthy sexual relationships, children learn what is safe for them and we empower them to make smart decisions.

Modified and effective learning methods such as visuals, role play, and examples of real-life people with disabilities in healthy romantic relationships are necessary for impartial sex education. To promote inclusive learning, alternative or augmented communication devices should be programmed with vocabulary on sexuality and relationships and educational interpreters must be comfortable conveying this subject matter accurately. As we recognize and respect youth with disabilities, culturally competent sex education policies that use positive representations of the disabled community in learning materials would be most reparable.

This curated sex education could also prevent unplanned pregnancy, as pregnancies among women with disabilities are 53% more likely to be unintended than pregnancies among women without disabilities (5). Clearly, we are doing a great disservice to the entire disabled community by not involving them in these crucial developmental discussions. The basic rights to bodily autonomy, self-determination, informed decision making, as well as holistic wellbeing, demand we reconsider how we approach sex education with YWD and ensure them a seat at the table for these important conversations.

References:

1 Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Survey, Special Tabulation

2 Schneider, M., & Hirsch, J. S. (2020). Comprehensive Sexuality Education as a Primary Prevention Strategy for Sexual Violence Perpetration. Trauma, violence & abuse , 21(3), 439–455. https://doi. org/10.1177/1524838018772855

3 Rowlands, S., & Amy, J.-J. (2019). Sterilization of those with intellectual disability: Evolution from non-consensual interventions to strict safeguards. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 23(2), 233–249. https://doi. org/10.1177/1744629517747162

4 Sinclair, J., Unruh, D., Lindstrom, L., & Scanlon, D. O. (2015). Barriers to sexuality for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A literature review. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 50(1), 3–16.

5 Horner-Johnson W, Dissanayake M, Wu JP, Caughey AB, Darney BG. Pregnancy Intendedness by Maternal Disability Status and Type in the United States. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2020 Mar;52(1):31-38. doi: 10.1363/psrh.12130. Epub 2020 Feb 24. PMID: 32096336.