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Introduction

Introduction No one is sure how many people with learning difficulties are sexually abused, but we know that the number is extremely high and that the real extent of the problem is probably hidden. Despite this, the vast majority of perpetrators go undiscovered and unpunished as a result of the discriminatory nature of the criminal justice system and the failure of health and social services to protect the people in their care. Even when cases come to court, people with learning difficulties are often seen as ‘unreliable witnesses’ and a conviction is rarely secured (see Alison Tarrant’s article in this issue). In November 2002, a group of practitioners and managers from health and social care met at the University of Birmingham’s Health Services Management Centre for a one-day seminar to explore the complex and emotional issues at stake with regard to the sexual abuse of people with learning difficulties. In particular, delegates spent a long time examining their own attitudes to abuse and their own understanding of the concept of vulnerability. While we know that people with learning difficulties are very vulnerable to abuse, we do not always think through what makes this user group vulnerable. Against this background, http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png The Journal of Adult Protection Pier Professional

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Publisher
Pier Professional
Copyright
Copyright © 2003 by Pier Professional Limited
ISSN
1466-8203
eISSN
2042-8669
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

No one is sure how many people with learning difficulties are sexually abused, but we know that the number is extremely high and that the real extent of the problem is probably hidden. Despite this, the vast majority of perpetrators go undiscovered and unpunished as a result of the discriminatory nature of the criminal justice system and the failure of health and social services to protect the people in their care. Even when cases come to court, people with learning difficulties are often seen as ‘unreliable witnesses’ and a conviction is rarely secured (see Alison Tarrant’s article in this issue). In November 2002, a group of practitioners and managers from health and social care met at the University of Birmingham’s Health Services Management Centre for a one-day seminar to explore the complex and emotional issues at stake with regard to the sexual abuse of people with learning difficulties. In particular, delegates spent a long time examining their own attitudes to abuse and their own understanding of the concept of vulnerability. While we know that people with learning difficulties are very vulnerable to abuse, we do not always think through what makes this user group vulnerable. Against this background,

Journal

The Journal of Adult ProtectionPier Professional

Published: Sep 1, 2003

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