How to Use This Guide

The purpose of this guide is to provide information for professional responders including Sexual Assault Advocates; Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) and other medical personnel; Law Enforcement officers; and Protective Services staff to best support adults with a range of disabilities who have experienced sexual assault and/or other forms of violence, abuse, and neglect.

If you suspect but are not sure that a person has a disability, use the following general sections of this guide: All People with Disabilities and Responding to Distress. Both sections include tips for people with a range of disabilities.

Keep in mind that observable or unusual behavior does not always mean a person has a disability—behavior can also be a response to traumatic events.

If you know that a person has a disability, go to one of the following sections: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Communication Related Disabilities, Deaf/DeafBlind/DeafDisabled/ Late-Deafened/Hard of Hearing, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, or Mental Health Related Disabilities. A person may also identify as neuro-divergent, a non-medical term related to Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia and other differences in learning and information processing.

Content for this guide represents a collaborative effort among people themselves with disabilities, parents, other family members and loved ones, educators, and both victim and disability service advocates, professionals, and service providers. Because the focus of the guide is on working with each individual and following their lead, many tips we share can be used to support any person with disabilities and can be used in support of people without a disability.

All Adults SAFE can be installed on your cell phone or tablet for use as a field guide or on your lap-top/desktop as a pre-service study guide. You’ll find information and resources for first responders, investigators, medical, criminal justice, and victim services personnel, family members, and care providers. Our goal is to support helpful and restorative interactions with adults with disabilities.