A retrospective analysis of children with and without disabilities attending the Teddy Bear Clinic, Johannesburg
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Date
2010-10-22
Authors
Deroukakis, Marilena
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Abstract
The intersection of two marginalised groups of children, the disabled and the
abused, was the focus of this research report. The study examined data from
the Teddy Bear Clinic over an eight-year period and detected differences in
the prevalence of sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect of disabled and
non-disabled children. The population of disabled-abused were further
classified according to age, population group and gender in order to elucidate
relationships between variables that might affect prevalence of
maltreatment. A summary of the results shows that specific sub-populations
of the disabled (the physically, mentally and learning disabled) had
prevalence rates peculiar to them. The mentally and physically disabled had
increased rates of sexual abuse, whilst the learning disabled had increased
prevalence for neglect. Analysis of those children with multiple disabilities
revealed no risk for neglect but they were at increased risk for sexual abuse.
Disabled children are therefore not a homogeneous group.
Description
MSc (Med) (Paediatric Neurodevelopment), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand
Keywords
disabled children, sexually abused children, neglected children