Children with disabilities are significantly more likely to experience abuse and neglect, with studies indicating they are 2.5 to 4 times more at risk compared to their non-disabled peers. In Israel, data reveals that children with disabilities face abuse rates up to 4.8 times higher than the general population, underscoring the urgent need for improved policies and services to protect these vulnerable individuals. Factors contributing to this higher prevalence include communication barriers, greater dependence on caregivers, and under-recognition of risks within educational and social service systems.

1. Are Children with Disabilities
More Likely to Experience Abuse and Neglect?
If So, Why? Findings from Israel
Dori Rivkin
HARUV VIRTUAL SUMMER SERIES
June 24, 2020

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A 14-year-old boy, apparently disabled, who has not left his home since the age of two, was found today by police officers inside
a shed sealed with iron and rubbish heaps, suffering from criminal neglect by his parents. The boy was evacuated by emergency
services to the hospital while his parents were detained for questioning.
A 13-year-old boy with intellectual disability was sexually abused in a synagogue near his home. One Friday evening, one of the
worshipers invited him to enter the synagogue with him and sexually assaulted him there. A few weeks later, the offender passed
him and his mother on the street. He began to tremble and behave, according to his mother, "strangely." His mother insisted on
understanding what was happening to him - and then he told her about the abuse.
When Hanna, a 13-year-old girl with intellectual disability started showing behaviour problems such as negativity and temper
outbursts, the school assigned a volunteer to try to help. Once she won Hanna’s trust, Hanna told her that she got special
attention from her father, that they slept together in the same bed and that he touched her at night. "It doesn’t always feel good,
but this is how good girls behave“. The volunteer was shocked and told the school counsellor. The father was taken for
questioning and eventually confessed having intercourse with his daughter.
A Few Incidents…

3. Inter-Agency Forum on Abuse and Neglect of CWD
Mission: to advise the government on policy and services
needed. Some of the issues addressed:
• Prevention programs
• Intervention with victims and offenders
• Adapting universal services vs specific services for CWD
But, without data and an evidence base, none of this could
be implemented

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MJB’s Project
• Review international literature
• Estimate the number of CWD exposed to abuse and neglect in Israel
based on existing data

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Review of International Literature

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Children With Disabilities are Far More Likely to Suffer
Abuse or Neglect
• In Nebraska CWD are 3.4 times more likely to suffer maltreatment than
other children (31% vs 9%) (Sullivan and Knutson, 2000):
• U.S.A. CWD 2.75 times more (11% vs 4%) - estimate based on US Dept of
Health and Human Services and Child Welfare Information Gateway
)2012)
• Different studies use different definitions of CWD and of child abuse and
neglect
• Overall, CWD are 2.5-4 times more likely to suffer abuse and neglect than
other children

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Jones, L.; Bellis, M. A.; Wood, S.; Hughes, K.; McCoy, E.; Eckley, L.; Officer, A. 2012. "Prevalence and risk of violence against
children with disabilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies". The Lancet 380(9845), 899-907.
• Among 18,000 subjects with with disability
• 20% physical abuse in childhood
• 20% emotional abuse
• 14% sexual abuse
• 27% more than one type of abuse
Jones et al: Meta-analysis of 17 studies

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Children with Certain Types of Disabilities are at Higher
Risk for Abuse and Neglect
• Children with impairments in communication, learning disabilities,
behavioral disabilities and sensory disabilities (Stalker & McArthur,
2010)
• Children with mental health disabilities (Heinonen & Ellonen 2013)
• Children with multiple disabilities (Heinonen & Ellonen 2013)
• Children with non-severe vs children with severe disabilities (Fisher et
al., 2008; Helton & Cross, 2011

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Children with Disabilities often Suffer More Severe
Maltreatment
• Study in Turkey found more severe sexual abuse
(Akbas et al. 2009)
• Abuse starts at a younger age – before starting school
(Sullivan & Knutson, 2000)

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Why do Children with Disability Suffer more Abuse
and Neglect?
• CWD are seen as less likely to understand, resist or report abuse
• Greater dependence of CWD on parents and other caregivers
• Parents experience higher levels of stress and ambivalence in raising child with
disability
• Sometimes, the disability is exacerbated or even caused by abuse
• Schools and other services not aware of higher risk for abuse and how to recognize it
in CWD
• CWD less likely to report or communicate about abuse

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Children with Disabilities are less Likely to Report
the Abuse
Severe disabilityNon-severe
disability
No disability
546172
Suspected sexual abuse
465661
Suspected physical
abuse
% of Children who Disclosed Abuse during Interview with Child
Investigator (Hershkovitz et al, 2007)

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Are CWD in Israel also more at risk for
Abuse and Neglect?

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Method
1. Locate data bases which have information relating to
• Child abuse or neglect
• Disability
2. Calculate percent of children with disability in each data base Compare to
estimated prevalence of children with same definition of disability in general
population
3. Calculate relative prevalence

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Ok, Let’s look at the Data Bases…
• Ministry of Welfare (7) – i.e. CWD, CPO, Sexual Abuse services…
• Ministry of Health (1) – Hospital reports on family violence
• Police – victim data
• Ministry of Internal security (3) – national surveys on violence etc.
• Ministry of Education (1) – reports on abuse
We found only 3 data bases with individual information on disability and abuse

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Findings
Child Investigator Reports
• Children with Intellectual Developmental Disability 3.5 times more prevalent than
in general population
• Children with Autistic Spectrum Disability 4.8 times more prevalent than in general
population
Child Protection Officer Reports
• Children with disabilities 2.1 times more prevalent than in general population
But, could this stem from children with disabilities being “under the spotlight”?

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3600 - National Program for Children and Youth at Risk
The data
• 3600 provides funding for services for children and youth at risk at the local level for most
of Israel
• Screening all children in the program for abuse and neglect by staff of universal services
well-baby clinic nurses, nursery school and K-12 teachers
• The program created a large data base of children in Israel based on this screening
The findings
• 25% of the children screened for abuse or neglect were children with disability
• 9% of the children in Israel are CWD
• Children with all disabilities were indicated 2.8 times more (25% vs 9%)
• Children with severe disabilities indicated 3.1 times more (13% vs 4.2%)
• National estimate – 90,000 children with disabilities subject to abuse and/or neglect

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Summary
• Children with disability are more likely to suffer abuse and neglect
• Effects of type of disability, severity and multiple disability
• International findings indicate 2.5-4 times higher prevalence than other children
• Data from Israel shows similar trend
• Abuse and neglect of CWD 2.1–4.8 times higher than other children
• Best Israeli estimate – 2.8-3.1 times higher
• Policy and services need to consider higher prevalence
• Awareness in screening
• Making services accessible for CWD and their parents
• Considering effect of different disabilities on vulnerability and abuse

18. www.facebook.com/MJBInstitute
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Thank you for listening
You’re welcome to stay in touch
dorir@jdc.org
brookdale.jdc.org.il/en/