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Every survivor deserves to be heard, believed, respected, and supported. People with disabilities can experience domestic violence and sexual assault just like anyone else. In some situations, however, an abusive person may use a survivor's disability or dependence on certain supports as another means of control. Abuse may include withholding medication, interfering with mobility equipment, controlling money or transportation, preventing someone from communicating with others

There is no “right” way to feel or respond after a sexual assault. Some survivors may feel frightened, angry, confused, numb, overwhelmed, or unsure of what to do next. Others may not immediately know how they feel at all. Every person's experience and response is different. What happened does not change your right to be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect. Your immediate safety and well-being are important. Depending on your circumstances, you may choose to seek me

Abuse is often not one isolated incident. It can be part of an ongoing pattern designed to create power and control over another person. The Power and Control Wheel is a widely used educational tool that helps people recognize some of the behaviors that can occur in abusive relationships. These behaviors may include intimidation, emotional abuse, isolation, economic abuse, threats, coercion, using children as a means of control, minimizing what happened, denying abusive behav

Healthy relationships should allow you to be yourself. Whether you are dating for the first time or have been in a relationship for a while, you deserve to feel safe, respected, valued, and heard. You have the right to maintain your own identity, friendships, interests, and goals. You have the right to express your feelings and opinions, even when your partner disagrees. You have the right to change your mind, make your own decisions, and choose where you go and what you do.

A safety plan is not about telling you what to do. It is about helping you think ahead and identify options that may help you feel safer. Safety planning can be helpful whether you are currently experiencing abuse, thinking about leaving, have already left, or are concerned that a situation may become unsafe. Your plan may include identifying people you trust, safe places you could go, transportation options, important phone numbers, and ways to access medications, identifica

If you are thinking about leaving an abusive relationship, you deserve support while deciding what comes next. Leaving can be complicated. It may involve concerns about children, housing, finances, transportation, pets, work, medications, important documents, or simply where you will go. For some survivors, the period surrounding separation can also bring increased safety concerns. That is why planning ahead, when possible, can be helpful. A safety plan might include identify

Technology can help us stay connected, but it can also be used as a way to monitor, intimidate, or control someone. Phones, social media accounts, email, smart devices, location-sharing apps, vehicles, and online accounts can sometimes provide another person with information about where you are, who you are communicating with, or what you are doing. If you are concerned that someone may be monitoring your technology, consider your safety before changing passwords, turning off

Sometimes abuse is easy to see. Other times, it can be much harder to recognize. Abuse is not limited to physical violence. It can also include emotional abuse, threats, intimidation, sexual coercion, financial control, stalking, isolation, or behaviors that make someone feel afraid, powerless, or controlled. You may notice that a partner constantly needs to know where you are, checks your phone or messages, controls who you spend time with, puts you down, controls money, pre