Citation

Smele S, Quinlan A, Fogel C. Violence Vict. 2019; 34(5): 818-837.

Affiliation

Department of Sport Management & Social Justice and Equity Studies, Brock University, St. Catharines, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Springer Publishing)

DOI

10.1891/0886-6708.VV-D-18-00041

PMID

31575817

Abstract

The Services and Supports to Promote Social Inclusion of Persons With Developmental Disabilities Act that passed in 2008 was intended to improve services and supports for persons with developmental disabilities in Ontario, Canada. This legislation introduced a new mandatory police reporting policy for any suspected abuse, including sexual assault. While heralded as a significant advancement, questions remain about the policy and the Canadian criminal justice system's capacity to effectively respond to abuse of people with developmental disabilities. Drawing on qualitative interview data with police investigators and Victim Crisis Services employees in Ontario, this article examines how police respond to these reports. The findings highlight the need for more clearly defined protocols and training on these types of sexual assault investigations and increased provision and coordination of appropriate support for victims/survivors with developmental disabilities.

© Copyright 2019 Springer Publishing Company, LLC.

Language: en

Keywords

disability; police; sexual violence; social policy