Sexual Abuse of Teenagers with Intelletual Disability: An Examination of South African Literature

AbstractProblem Statement: As the literature continues to alert us to the increasing rates of sexual abuse among children in South Africa, the question arises as to how much is known about abuse of the most marginalized members of society, namely teenagers with intellectual disabilities. International literature suggests that individuals with intellectual disabilities are at increased risk of sexual assault, and more so than their non-disabled counterparts. A paucity of South African-based research in this area directed the focus of my paper.Purpose of Study: My intentions are twofold: to uncover what is known about the sexual abuse of teenagers with intellectual disability and to encourage debate and research in this area.Methods: Information was sourced from international and South African-based papers reported in English and published in ISI, IBSS and/or DOE-accredited journals. The papers were obtained by means of a library search at one of the largest university in South Africa, using the following terms: disability, intellectual/mental challenges, sexual abuse/maltreatment/violation and gender-based violence.Findings: A total of seven [7] studies were found, of which two were focused on people with physical disability. The studies sensitized the public to the existence of sexual abuse and related aspects. More studies are needed in this regard.Conclusions: A paucity of research in this area reflects society's failure to acknowledge the existence of the problem in society as a whole, therefore we cannot claim to understand the nature or the pattern of this form of abuse. There is a serious need to advance research in this area so as to avoid heavy reliance on research conducted in non-South African contexts