Disabled people face significantly higher risk of interpersonal violence and sexual assault than those who are not disabled. Autistic people experience higher rates of bullying by peers and maltreatment by caregivers. This predisposes them to acquiesce to predatory behavior and to lack self-protective skills.
Therapists who work with sexual victimization are likely to encounter this problem with autistic survivors and will benefit from specialized knowledge of effective approaches for supporting individuals with developmental disabilities. Identifying factors contributing to the vulnerability of autistic clients is necessary for mental health providers to provide optimal care. During this session participants will discuss research based methods to modify services for greater accessibility for autistic clients. Participants will then participant in collaborative case studies to assist in identifying the factors contributing to vulnerability and applying the various methods for making services more accessible for the autistic population.