autism sexual abuse

Beyond Bullying: Autism and Sexual Abuse

autism sexual abuseI’m a petite single female working in public safety. I’m strong; I lift heavy weights six days a week, I run every other day, I do MMA workouts on the days I don’t run, and I take boxing classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I own firearms and I’m trained to properly handle them. I have an advanced alarm system, security cameras, and two giant huskies that share my residence. I’m situationally aware of my surroundings at all times.

And yet…

I receive a daily assortment of inappropriate advances from what I affectionately term as “creepers.”

I’ve also been a victim of sexual assault four times in my adult life.

You know what? It sucks. Big time. It’s not without its permanent price. So if this can happen to a strong and socially aware neurotypical female, where does that leave my beautiful 19 year-old Aspie daughter? How is she to navigate the Land of Creepers? How is she to protect herself?

Communication alone is a challenge. While I can read into seemingly “innocent” texts from my band of creepers and see there is intent (and they think I don’t! Ha!), my daughter is not so adept at underlying messages, innuendos and body language. It’s not just about someone snatching her on the streets; the reality is that she is likely to innocently get herself entangled in a bad situation by simply not picking up on social cues.

Why are they at risk?

A study done of 55,000 children showed a child with any type of intellectual disability was four times more likely to be sexually abused than a child without disabilities (Sullivan & Knutson, 2000). While no specific numbers exist for individuals with autism, research suggests that this population is extremely vulnerable.

Those on the spectrum are generally taught compliance from a very young age, making them easy targets for criminals. Combine that with difficulty picking up social cues and understanding other individuals’ intentions, and the end result is vulnerability to a range of crimes.

Hard to spot

According to Special Ed Abuse, nearly one in six autistic children have been sexually abused.

Recognizing it can be extremely challenging, as communication deficits mean that a child’s report could be unreliable. Typical signs of sexual abuse in children MAY be an autistic child’s baseline behavior. These signs include:

  • Sleep disturbances
  • Angry outbursts
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Difficulty thinking or concentrating
  • Withdrawn behavior
  • Propensity to run away

Since self-reporting of abuse or trauma by individuals with ASD may not occur, it is important that family members, caregivers, behavior support specialists, and other professionals in the child’s life receive training on potential behavioral changes that may be associated with trauma exposure so they may assist in reporting and obtaining services.

Signs of abuse that are unique to autism may include exacerbation of social anxiety, remembering or re-enactment, changes in the child’s baseline behavior, and new onset or increased self-injurious behaviors.

Also keep in mind that when encountering professionals within the criminal justice system, persons with ASD may not respond to verbal instructions, they may avoid eye contact, appear argumentative, become agitated and anxious, appear to be under the influence of narcotics, or only repeat what is being said to them. These behaviors should not be interpreted as deliberate, disrespectful or hostile.

They may also be fixated on a particular object or topic and may ask repeated questions, speak in a monotone voice with unusual pronunciations, and be honest to the point of rudeness. They may not understand the extent of the trauma they experienced, nor the expectations of assisting within the criminal justice system.

Most police departments have a Crisis Intervention Team, which staffs a psych nurse and an officer trained in psychiatric crisis management. They have many tools available to them that other officers may not. If you suspect autism, seek assistance from department assets such as a mobile crisis team or unit early on in the legal intervention, as they can help identify if the person may require special assistance from psychiatric professionals.

For more information about getting your department trained and certified in autism safety, click HERE.

image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Autism Tips for Emergency Responders: Autism and Violence

image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

My extended family doesn’t know a great deal about autism. My children and I don’t live near my mother or stepmother, and autism wasn’t even on my radar when my father passed away in 2001. The majority of information they receive about autism is what they hear in the news and any personal stories I choose to share about day to day living as a single mom with two autistic teens.

A family member recently asked me, “How bad is Justin?”

“What do you mean?” I replied.

“I saw on the news that a boy with autism got angry and bit his grandmother’s finger off. Is he violent like that? I’m worried.”

Officers frequently ask during my autism trainings if people with autism are more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs and commit violent crimes.

These are all great questions; however thanks to the media an already grossly misunderstood community is now feared and shunned as one being predisposed for violence, and even murder. Case in point, the Sandy Hook School shooting in 2012, the 20-year old shooter was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at age 13.

Did autism cause him to fatally shoot 20 children and 6 adult staff members?

No, it did not.

According to an article from Interactive Autism Network at Kennedy Krieger Institute,

“People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have characteristics that could make them both more likely, and less likely, to break the law. On the one hand, they may have trouble with aggression, controlling strong emotions, and understanding other people’s perspectives. They may have challenging behaviors that could attract police attention. However, they also tend to find rules helpful, and laws are “simply social rules of a particular type” that they could be expected to follow.”

There are few case studies dealing with high-functioning autism and crime, and those in place are already biased, as the subjects studied were already in prison or a forensic hospital – they already had legal troubles. This indeed elicits a “chicken or the egg” argument, and cannot truly answer whether or not autism is a factor in violence and crimes. Studies would need to consider people throughout a community, not just those in jails, psychiatric hospitals or institutions.

It is my personal experience that most people with autism are good-natured, happy individuals that are focused on the “now” and typically like to follow rules, but are also wired to be who they are, unapologetically. There is no known evidence that autism causes violent criminal behavior.

Victims, Not Aggressors

 

The more likely scenario you will encounter? People with autism tend to be victims of crimes. Children with disabilities are about three times more likely to be the victims of abuse or neglect, and children with autism are bullied more often than other children.

Social and communication deficits may also place people with autism at a disadvantage when questioned by police. They may not be able to tell if an investigator is lying or manipulating them, resulting in potentially making a false confession. Officers that are not trained to recognize autism may also interpret lack of eye contact, vague answers are changing the subject as evidence of guilt, but these are typical autistic behaviors.

Impulses and Behavior Response

 

Autism Speaks also tells us that autism itself does not cause challenging behaviors. It is likely, however, that some of the underlying biological processes that result in autism might also result in behaviors that are outside of a person’s control—similar to how the tremors associated with Parkinson’s Disease are brought on by impulses that the person cannot direct. In addition, some behavioral responses are simply reflexes—no more of a choice than when your leg jerks upward when the doctor uses his hammer on your kneecap.

Autism aggression is less likely to result in violent behavior toward others; most often the automatic response to stressors (like emergencies) are repetitive or ritualistic – and sometimes self-injurious – behaviors that serve the purpose of self-calming.

autism bullying

How Safe Is Your Autistic Child from Being Bullied?

Going through the school system today is harder than ever for our children, especially with the increased pressures of test scores, the lack of recess or gym in many schools, and the barrage of ridiculous standards that seem to be set by social media.

As parent of a child on the Autism Spectrum, I want my son to have the best possible experiences – academically, developmentally, and socially.  But when it comes to making friends and fitting in, bullying can be a real threat for him. Especially since he is so sweet and kind by nature and is quick to believe everything at face value.

SIDE NOTE: It is this innocence that also makes your child with Autism a vulnerable target for online predators! Read about our experience with an internet hacker here.

Bullying doesn’t always mean getting beat up for  lunch money. It could show up in the form of manipulating my son to perform an action or say something that will get them in trouble in class. It could look like another child coercing him to hand over his dessert every day in exchange for letting him sit next to him. And it most certainly can rear its ugly head with any words that make my child feel like he is somehow less than the other kids around him.

In the first few grades of elementary school, it was easy to explain my son’s differences to his peers. When he covered his ears to block out the painful school bell sound I simply told his classmates that he had super-sonic hearing! When he jumped up and down and couldn’t sit still in circle time I exclaimed that he was exercising his special springy legs for some Mario power jumps later on. Little tricks like that were accepted.

Now my child is 11, wears men’s medium clothes and sports a mustache.  It’s not as easy to step in and offer plausible explanations for some of his quirks. He needs real tools and strategies that can help, not a helicopter mom following him around :)

What does work?

In Growing Up on the Spectrum: A Guide to Life, Love, and Learning for Teens and Young Adults with Autism and Asperger’s, Dr. Lynn Kern Koegel and Claire LaZebnik offer some practical suggestions for helping your child on the spectrum feel safe in every environment. Here are a few of our favorites:

Checking in. If your child is at the age when he doesn’t want a parent around at school, making a point of dropping off that missed homework or forgotten lunch at a social time of day (such as lunch) will help you understand how your child is faring in his social interactions and may give you some hints about what social skills you need to work on at home.

After school clubbing. Help your child get involved in a club, even if you have to start it yourself. It will give your child the opportunity to interact with peers who have similar interests. What is your child really good at? Can he teach or demonstrate those gifts to his peers? Make it happen!

Party time. Have short get-togethers or parties that are structured around an activity. We have had tons of fun with a short “Make Your Own Pizza Bagel” party (I cut out sliced cheeses in the shape of Super Mario characters to go on top of the mozzarella) or “Design Your Own Pokemon” party with simple index cards and markers. Now that he is older we have Minecraft and Wii-U gatherings.

Buddy system. Find a peer buddy who will help your child safely get to classes. Recruit some kind-hearted kids to be a buddy to your child and accompany him through the hallways.

Educate them. Teach the students at your child’s school about disabilities. Even with a special needs department and inclusion programs in many schools, there is still a staggering lack of training and understanding. It shouldn’t stop with the teachers and staff. If peers are made aware of your child’s challenges and how he’s struggling to overcome them, they’ll be far more likely to lend him a hand.

Lessons about how to be a friend. There are a lot of ways that you can teach your child to make and maintain friendships. Sharing is one. Asking questions is another. Good phone and electronic etiquette are essential. If your child is on the spectrum, she may need help with these areas. I know mine does!

Multiple choice responses. There are times when the best response to a bully is ignoring them and there are other times when standing up to a bully may be the only option. Many schools have mediators who can tackle the situation from both sides. Use social stories to teach your child how to differentiate appropriate responses based on the situation at hand. My son responds to code systems when it comes to choosing appropriate responses. We have code words and numbers for almost every emotion and typical responses to certain situations.

How about you? What strategies do you use to avoid or address bullying with your child?

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