Abuse of Persons with Disabilities
Abuse can happen to anyone with any level of ability, female or male, young or old, poor or rich. It can happen in heterosexual, LGBTQ* relationships, long- or short-term relationships and between people who live together or separately. Abuse happens in cities, towns, villages, rural areas, remote communities, reserves and settlements. However, persons with disabilities may be more at risk of abuse than other persons because of:
- the nature of the disability
- myths and stereotypes about persons with disabilities
- dependency
- isolation
In this section:
- Who Abuses Persons With Disabilities?
- How To Get Help
- Materials and Resources – Publications
- Resources – Resource Lines
Persons with disabilities, like other victims of family violence, are most often abused by people they know. This may be a caregiver in the person’s residence, a spouse or common-law partner, another family member or a professional with whom they have some contact as a patient or client.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, phone 911.
If you suspect that a child is being abused, neglected or exposed to family violence, phone your local Child and Family Services Authority, the 24-hour Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-387-KIDS (5437) or the police.
If you suspect someone is being abused in a care facility, phone the toll-free Protection for Persons in Care Reporting Line at 1-888-357-9339.
For family violence resources in your community, phone the 24-hour Family Violence Info Line at 310-1818, toll-free in Alberta, or visit http://www.familyviolence.alberta.ca. Help is available in over 170 languages.
For more information about abuse of persons with disabilities, see the following publications.
- Healthy Relationships Information Sheet
- Know Your Rights: Alberta's Protection Against Family Violence Act (PAFVA) Information Sheet
- Abuse of Persons with Disabilities Information Sheet; Booklet
- Child Abuse/Children Exposed to Family Violence Information Sheet
- Women Abused in Intimate Relationships Information Sheet
- Men Abused by Women Information Sheet
- Preventing Abuse of Older Adults Information Sheet
- Aboriginal Journey to Healing Information Sheet
- English Express Family Violence Insert
- Translated Resources
- What the Health Care Community Can Do About Family Violence Information Sheet
The Materials and Resources web page has additional publications to order free of charge.
For additional questions and information, please call the following resource lines:
- Health Link: A registered nurse answers questions and gives health advice and information. Phone 1-866-408-LINK (5465), toll-free, 24 hours a day, or visit http://www.healthlinkalberta.ca/.
- Child Disability Resource Link: Gives callers information about services and supports available for a child. Phone 1-866-346-4661, toll-free, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Family Violence Info Line: For more information about family violence resources available in your community, phone the 24-hour Family Violence Info Line at 310-1818, toll-free in Alberta, or visit http://www.familyviolence.alberta.ca/. Help is available in over 170 languages.
- The Bullying Prevention Helpline: Trained counsellors give callers information and strategies on bullying prevention. Phone 1-888-456-2323, toll-free in Alberta, 24 hours a day or visit http://www.bullyfreealberta.ca/, http://www.b-free.ca/, and http://www.teamheroes.ca/.
- Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities (ACCD) promotes full participation in society for Albertans with disabilities. Phone 1-800-387-2514, toll-free, or visit http://www.accd.net/.
*LGBTQ: A commonly used acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, trans-identified, two-spirited and queer identities.
The Family Violence Info Line 310-1818 helps Albertans reach out to individuals and families affected by family violence. Help is available anytime, toll-free provincewide, in more than 170 languages.
