The events of the past two weeks have been a painful and difficult to experience. For some members of the OSU Community, these events have been triggering, traumatizing, or retraumatizing.
As many as 40% of women with disabilities experience sexual assault or physical violence in their lifetimes. Nearly 1 in 4 male victims who experienced sexual violence other than rape had a disability at the time of their assault. Those who are disabled and have multiple identities – members of the LGBTQ, BIPOC, Latinx, Asian, and immigrant communities – are especially vulnerable.
As survivors, people with disabilities face additional challenges in reporting these crimes. They are stereotyped as not being sexual; therefore, their stories may not be taken seriously. Depending on the type of disability, survivors may not have adequate resources – an ASL/English interpreter, assistive technology equipment, wheelchair-accessible spaces – to report an assault.
The staff at Disability Access Services stands with and supports individuals with disabilities who have survived sexual and domestic violence. We grieve with you; we too are angry and frustrated. If you are overwhelmed by the events that have recently taken place and you need services such as SARC or CAPS, please know that DAS is ready to assist with providing the accommodations you may need to access those services. For more information, please see below:
SARC (Survivor Advocacy & Resource Center): https://studenthealth.oregonstate.edu/sarc
EOA (Equal Opportunity and Access): https://eoa.oregonstate.edu/
CAPS (Counseling And Psychological Services): https://counseling.oregonstate.edu/
Student Care: https://studentlife.oregonstate.edu/student-care
Office of Student Advocacy: https://asosu.oregonstate.edu/advocacy
Sincerely,
DAS Staff