All People with Disabilities

Notice if there is something observable or unusual about a person’s behavior or interactions. This can include ignoring others in the room, pacing, flat affect/no expression, difficulty making eye-contact, out of context laughter, unusual sounds, or over-reacting to physical proximity or touch. Explain any need for touch and ask for consent.

Unusual behavior can be trauma related – it does not always mean a person has a disability.

All behavior is communication –a person may be angry, upset or ignoring you – these behaviors are communications about their internal state.

Not everybody chooses to identify themselves as having a disability. If you are not sure, ask the person about any needs for support: I want to make sure we support you today. So, please tell me if I need to slow down when we talk. Or, if you need an interpreter, need a break, or anything else while we are talking.

Find out how the person’s disability affects them and how you can work best with the person. Ask how they best communicate, understand, move about, and what supports they need. You can say: I may stop and ask you to tell me what you heard me say a few times— I want to make sure we communicate well. Is that okay? Allow the person time to consider and respond. Check for understanding: Can you tell me what you heard me say just now?

Avoid referring to someone’s ability with a “mental age.” Instead, find out what practical barriers can be removed so a person benefits from your services and supports. Examples include: easy to understand language, use of pictures or communication boards, concrete examples or descriptions of how someone understands information.

Ask about what is helpful when the person is distressed. Ask the person how they calm down (regulate, self-soothe), or take care of themselves when they are overwhelmed. Ask family members, care providers/personal care attendants how they best support the person when they are upset, distressed, or in crisis. Create that environment, if you can.

Person first: When you speak or write, put the person first, and then the disability. Examples: Kelly has cerebral palsy vs. the person with CP. Mark has a disability vs. the disabled man. This respectful approach is called person first language.

Identity first: Some people do prefer identity first, so it’s best to ask the person how they want to be referred to. Avoid outmoded or insulting phrases like handicapped, wheelchair bound, suffering from, or mentally retarded.

Trauma affects our brain, bodies, and behaviors. Traditional investigative approaches can cause additional trauma for people with disabilities by activating their protective responses: fighting (can look like aggression), fleeing (leaving/running away), or freezing (shutting down). Others may use learned protective behaviors like showing disinterest: trying to please or appease; going along with or agreeing; complying; or acquiescing. These learned behaviors are survivor skills and can be honored as such.

People with disabilities have often experienced medical trauma, so EMTs/paramedics may have a more challenging time.

People with disabilities may be able to understand what is said more than they are able to express themselves. The person may need more time to process. Be comfortable waiting 6-10 seconds before moving on.

People with disabilities are not usually acting in a certain way to make your job more difficult or because they want to be defiant. There’s often another root cause. Ask yourself, what is this person trying to communicate?

People with disabilities who seem particularly reactive may have learned over time that they are safer if they can keep others pushed away with their behavior. If I can be mean enough, people will leave me alone, and I’ll be safer.

People with disabilities may be extremely sensitive to sound, touch, textures, lights, harsh/loud voices, too many people in smaller spaces, people too close, or groups of responders towering over the person.

People with disabilities may have difficulty with change and may be frightened of people in uniforms.

People with disabilities may not be able to read facial expressions and their responses may indicate disinterest when they are actually experiencing panic, terror, and/or fear.

People may also identify as neuro-divergent, a non-medical term related to Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia and differences in learning and information processing.

Softening your approach can minimize re-traumatizing a person and improve your interactions (lower voices, relaxed posture and facial expressions). Trauma survivors often co-regulate with the calmest nervous system in the room.

Like most people, people with disabilities often want someone to be interested in them, to understand their fears, and to believe them. Show this understanding with your words, your facial expressions, and your body language.

Make effort to talk to people with the disability first.

If that’s not possible, given the state of crisis, it may be helpful to speak to their support person to learn best ways to calm / communicate with the person.

Be receptive to the dynamics and approach with an open mind. Each situation may need to be treated differently.

If there is a conflict between a family member/care attendant and the person with disabilities, it’s usually easier to remove the family member/care attendant than to remove the person with disabilities.

The family member /care attendant may also be in distress due to trauma, stress, or feelings of helplessness. They can benefit from understanding. However, their needs should not take precedence or create additional stress for the survivor.

Keep in mind, that most perpetrators are people known and previously trusted by victims/survivors.

Recognize that immigration status, may also impact people with disabilities and family member’s response to an investigation.

Pay careful attention to relationship dynamics if a person heaps praise or is overly complimentary toward a particular care provider (family or professional) and especially if that person is in the room. This can be a protective effort…if a person must rely on a care provider that is abusive (family member or paid professionals).

The less chaotic and stressful the setting, the easier it will be to communicate. Turn down the volume of TVs, radios, and personal communication devices. Limit the number of people speaking to or observing survivor interactions. Try to reduce how much you are moving around and limit sudden movements.

Assume each person with disabilities has experienced trauma. The calmer and less reactive you are, the calmer and more responsive the person may be.

Use a quiet, gentle, and accepting demeanor and give adequate personal space. Bigger emotions tend to require bigger physical space to contain.

Model calmness. Take 4 deep breaths to settle your own response to the situation. People with disabilities, and even infants, are likely to mirror your own calmness or distress.

Talk slowly and in easy to understand language, using your everyday tone of voice. Take care not talk down to or speak to the person as if they were a child.

Offer as much choice as possible without overwhelming— this is a trauma-informed and recommended practice in victim service settings as well as self-advocacy/self-determination movements for people with disabilities.

Choice can help a person feel more comfortable: Would you like something to drink? If your protocol and space allows, ask the person where they want to sit. If that seems too overwhelming in the moment – invite the person to make a more concrete choice— do you want to sit here or there? Again, offer as much choice as you can without overwhelming or patronizing the person.

Explain why you are there and what your role is. Push past your fears of doing or saying something wrong. If you say something you feel is wrong or that the survivor responds to negatively, apologize, and correct yourself.

Ask the person if they have an I.D. card: This can provide some information about a person’s disability.

Sit at eye level with people with disabilities but recognize that eye contact may be difficult for some people. This may be due to their disability or part of different cultural norms.

Don’t pretend to understand the person’s speech if you do not. They will know, and it will erode trust. Ask for the person to repeat what they said or try an alternative way of communicating.

Start by talking about neutral topics to build rapport and trust. It can be difficult to immediately start talking about abuse. Talk about things that are less serious in the moment: weather, music, or favorite TV shows or activities.

Give direct answers to questions, and don’t try to make things sound better than they are.

We can’t promise that everything will be OK,

Keep in mind that even small exaggerations can lead to distrust.

During an interview or interrogation, never promise a person that if they just ‘tell us what happened’ or ‘admit to something’ they can go home.

Slow down. Going too fast can escalate a crisis.

Let people with disabilities know that you will wait as they take their time to explain. Allow the person about 6-10 seconds to process before responding, to ask questions, and to say no to something they do not want to do. This also helps the person regain some control.

To reduce pressure, use language such as: When you are ready, or First we will…and then….

Step by step instructions, are helpful.

Avoid assumptions. People with disabilities may or may not be able to follow directions or understand what you say. Every person will be different, and what you think you know about a situation may be completely wrong.

Treat people with disabilities as you would any other person. Use age-appropriate, plain, direct, and easy to understand language. They are adults and should be treated as such.

Do not stop people with disabilities from self-soothing behaviors like rocking, fidgeting, twirling, or hand flapping, unless they are at risk of hurting themselves or others.

Try not to be reactive to the way people with disabilities are demonstrating their grief, loss, and trauma.

Focus on the strength of people with disabilities and build rapport to reinforce a healing experience. For instance, a Deaf person may not have American Sign Language (ASL) fluency but may be skilled at drawing or gesturing.

If the person with disabilities is acting out their distress, and it is safe, give them more physical space and don’t crowd or back the person into a corner. Disengage a little and monitor the person for continued safety.

Avoid concealing your hands, making sudden movements, and touching people with disabilities. If you do need to have physical contact, explain the purpose and ask for consent.

Carry fidget devices or other sensory items in your trunk/bag to help people keep their hands busy and soothe overstimulated neurological systems.

Let people with disabilities control the situation as much as possible, where they want to sit, when they want a break, etc.

Some people with disabilities may need or want a safe family member/care attendant to be with them.

Say the person with disabilities’ name to get their attention and then make your request.

Talk quietly and check for signs of understanding. If unsure, you can ask the person what they think about what you just said. This can provide some indication of their comprehension and open the door for follow up questions.

Don’t talk too much or too fast. The best way to pace a conversation is to speak slowly, clearly, and in your usual tone of voice.

Some people with disabilities will need plain and easy to understand language. Use literal speech. Instead of hold your horses, say: Please wait two minutes. Avoid sarcasm, metaphors, or jokes. This is likely to make a difficult situation more confusing.

Use pictures. Carry a pad and pencil so you can draw what you are trying to share with the person if they tend to think visually. Use a communication board with common scenes, people sitting together, walking, or on the bus for example.

Find out as quickly as you can how the person best communicates, and how the person’s disability impacts their understanding of what is being said, by asking the survivor and the people that provide supports.

Become familiar with how the person communicates, including differences in speech patterns. Some people with disabilities communicate by using sign language, pointing to letters, communication devices— such as communication boards (See: https://www.sayitwithsymbols.com), iPads, cell phone applications and other technology, or using gestures, facial expressions, or vocalizations.

People with disabilities’ actions and words may be the only way they know how to express complex feelings like fear, anger, confusion, and distress.

If you are unable to understand, consider calling in a neutral party who knows how to communicate with people with disabilities, such as a speech therapist, interpreter, family or care attendant. We suggest you do not call the person who reported the abuse—they are not likely to be a neutral party.

After the person with disabilities finishes a thought, wait 6-10 seconds before you start talking in case they have more to share.

If you are unsure you heard the person correctly, it’s okay to ask: Are you saying this…, did I understand that correctly?

Resist impatience and completing the person’s sentence, interrupting, or taking away a person’s access to communication devices or supports.

Unless the person with disabilities requires an interpreter, DO NOT let someone speak for them.

Pay attention to how people with disabilities act instead of just what they say. Watch body language, facial expressions, and eye contact. Remember some people with disabilities are not comfortable with eye contact.

Assume that people with disabilities understand you, until you learn otherwise, although they may not respond in a typical way or follow directions well. A person’s disability does not make them incompetent.

If the person with disabilities is stuck on one topic, listen and affirm what they are saying. It may help them move past it.

Recognize that many people with disabilities are trained to comply or have a desire to please. Let the person know that it’s OK to say: I don’t know. Give plenty of opportunity for the survivor to say ‘No’ or ‘I Pass’ and decline if they are too uncomfortable or afraid to answer.

If the reported crime did not involve physical pain, people with disabilities may not understand what the problem is. You may have to explain what happened and why it’s not OK (or against the law).

Keep the meeting space free of distractions. Leave a clear path to the exit.

Use fewer pronouns to avoid confusion. Instead of: Did she go with her? Ask: Did Bianca go with Robin?

Talk about the facts. You have bruises. Do you know how you got them? Use plain, short, and easy to understand to the point directives and questions.

Many people with disabilities are visual learners, so a lot of verbal commands and rapid-fire instructions are difficult to process. The person may not hear, understand, or remember what you are telling them.

Avoid leading questions. Keep in mind that some people with disabilities can be easily influenced, tend to comply or acquiesce, and may want to please.

Keep questions neutral and free of suggestions. Example: Do you like Mary? Instead of: Is Mary mean to you?

Use concrete language instead of abstract. Concrete language is about what people with disabilities can see, hear, smell, touch, or taste. Rather than: How tall was Tom? Give concrete reference points. Ask: Is Tom taller than you?

People with disabilities may remember when things happened in relationship to their daily schedules: their favorite television shows, when they go to day habilitation and come home, when they have physical therapy, and other regularly scheduled events. Instead of: What time was it? Try: Was it before or after dinner? What was on TV? Who was home? Was it light or dark outside?

Offer two choices that are both fine. Would you like to start talking now, or would you like to start talking in a few minutes?

No can be a favorite word for some people. Use open-ended questions, or questions with two choices. Were you at home or with Yasmin? Were you at home alone or with another person?

Sometimes people with disabilities may have difficulty understanding your questions. Slow down, try asking necessary questions in different ways…changing a few words each time. For example: Has anybody ever hit you? Has anybody ever touched the private parts of your body (or the parts of your body covered by a bathing suit?)