Domestic Violence and Women With Disabilities: A Neglected Problem

Women with disabilities and women affected by violence have been seen as two different groups, when in fact, there is a tremendous co-occurrence that service providers are not equipped to detect or respond to. This thesis will explore the domestic violence experiences of women with disabilities to reveal similarities and important differences to women in general. Chapter one will begin by defining disability and exploring how the social context of disability interrelates with the social construction of femininity. The next chapter will focus on defining domestic violence, exploring women’s experience of domestic violence, and enumerating special factors that may impact women with disabilities. The third chapter will discuss the types of services that exist for domestic violence, the factors that complicate accessing services for this population of women, and how accessibility means much more than removing structural barriers. The final chapter will provide policy and practice recommendations and discuss significant gaps in the literature