Background: Individuals with intellectual disabilities are amongst the groups most vulnerable to sexual crimes. However, their limited cognitive abilities can make it challenging to obtain detailed statements from victims during investigative interviews. This study examined whether practising answering open-ended questions early in the interview…

Background: People with intellectual disabilities have the right to live in the community. As social workers have an important role in decisions regarding residential settings, this study examined their recommendations regarding residential living arrangements of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Method: Using a factorial survey approach…

Background: Existing literature suggests that individuals with intellectual disability are not always held accountable for their actions and forensic staff are unlikely to report their sexually harmful behaviour. Method: This research explores how categorization of an offender as having intellectual disability and the framing of an offence as…

Background: Sexual offending has been attributed to empathy deficits, implicating interventions targeting empathy as a potential mechanism for reducing sexually harmful behaviour. However, there is less known about how appropriate and effective interventions are for individuals with intellectual disabilities. This review aims to provide a…

Background: Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities demonstrate disparities in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) compared to individuals without disabilities (e.g., lack of sexual education and knowledge, increased rates of abuse, unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections). Therefore, the purpose of this…

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…

Background: The Questionnaire on Attitudes Consistent with Sexual Offending (QACSO) is an assessment developed by Lindsay, Whitefield, Carson, Broxholme and Steptoe (2004). The QACSO was designed to assess cognitive distortions relating to sexual offending in males with intellectual disabilities (ID). Cognitive distortions form part of the offence…

Background: People with intellectual disabilities are more vulnerable to sexual abuse and are more disadvantaged in the criminal justice system than the general population. However, little is known about the experiences of people with intellectual disabilities who have allegedly been victims of sexual abuse and also been witnesses in court.…

Background: The Armidilo has two scales--the risk scale and the protective scale. Research has been confined to the risk scale which appears to predict future incidents with medium to large effect sizes. There have been no publications on the use of the protective scale. Methods: The Armidilo was completed on four individuals with IDD who were…

Background: The resources used in treatment for sex offenders with intellectual disabilities have had much research attention, but less has been written about how participants are expected to respond (programme mechanisms). Methods: A realist evaluation of seven programmes from the UK, Canada, USA, Switzerland and Germany was conducted. In…

Background: There is a dearth of reliable data on sexual assault prevalence amongst people with learning disabilities. This work aims to identify the prevalence of learning disabilities amongst adult clients attending Saint Marys Sexual Assault Referral Centre and ascertain the similarities/differences amongst clients with learning disabilities as…

Background: Few studies have explored ethical and legal issues in contraceptive counselling among women with intellectual disability (ID). This study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of these issues during midwifery contraceptive counselling. Method: The present authors interviewed 19 midwives in five focus groups in Sweden 2016-2017 and…

Background: The cognitive and behavioural profile associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) includes difficulties with social interaction, communication and empathy. Each of these may present barriers to effective participation in sexual offending treatment, leading to poorer outcomes. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with…

Background: Despite considerable advance and growth in the evidence base for psychological interventions as treatment for sex offenders with intellectual disabilities (ID), there remains limited evidence to support their effectiveness. This systematic review seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of psychological interventions on reducing reoffending…

Background: This study assessed the knowledge of personal safety skills among children with developmental disabilities and their parents' perceptions of children's knowledge. Method: This exploratory study examined the mental health records of 37 children with developmental disabilities referred for an abuse risk reduction group in a community…