Sexual abuse and violence against people with intellectual disability and physical impairments: Characteristics of police-investigated cases in a Norwegian national sample

Abstract

Background: Although people with disabilities are more exposed to violence and sexual abuse, research on the judicial process in such cases is still lacking. This study uses crime statistics to describe this phenomenon. Method: A national sample from the National Criminal Investigation Service in Norway was analysed for the period October 2015 to December 2017. Results: The total number of alleged victims was 175, across 74 cases. The majority of the victims (71.2%) were females, subjected to a sexual offence. Overall, 30% of all cases led to a penal sanction. Conclusion: The study shows a preponderance of sexual offences against females with disabilities and few cases comprise violence. Relatively, few cases involve violations against children with disabilities. This might suggest an underreporting of such criminal acts. The knowledge of potential reasons why violent crime and offences against children with disabilities are absent from the data registry needs to be strengthened.