Abstract
This chapter examines the forms of maltreatment, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional, and psychological abuse, and neglect that prevail in the lives of children with disabilities. We analyze data from large data bases, including the U.S. DHHS and the available databased research in this area. We present our findings following an analysis of the newspaper coverage of the abuse and neglect of children with disabilities (ANCD) and illustrate these findings with stories about the children and adults represented by these numbers. We complete this chapter with a discussion of the implications of these findings for research and practice. We provide reflection and critical thinking exercises throughout the chapter.
Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough. (Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States, 1882–1945)
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Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). http://www.splcenter.org/what-we-do/teaching-tolerance Education, litigation, and advocacy are the primary tools used by SPLC to teach tolerance and seek justice and develop equal opportunity in the United States for its most vulnerable members, including those with disabilities. SPLD provides educators with free resources designed to teach school children “to reject hate, embrace diversity and respect differences.
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Crowley, E.P. (2016). The Forms of Abuse and Neglect of Children with Disabilities. In: Preventing Abuse and Neglect in the Lives of Children with Disabilities. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30442-7_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30442-7_3
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