Abstract
In exchange for freedom and privacy lost during institutionalization, residents should be provided with reasonable protection from harm. However, the dynamics of institutionalization, factors contributing to sexual abuse, and attitudinal barriers inhibiting the integration of people perceived as disabled, merge to increase the likelihood that sexual abuse will occur in psychiatric hospitals, developmental centers and other places of confinement. Sexual victimization and sexual rights are significant, though largely ignored, disability issues. The vulnerability of institutionalized people labeled mentally ill and developmentally disabled (many of them with histories of abuse) is discussed and recommendations for increased safety offered.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Groth AN: Men Who Rape, the Psychology of the Offender. New York, Plenum Press, 1979
Russell DEH: The Secret Trauma: Incest in the Lives of Girls and Women. New York, Basic Books, Inc., 1986.
Herman J, Russell D, Trocki K: Long-term effects of incestuous abuse in childhood. Am J Psychiatry 143(10): 1293–1296, 1986
Porter E: Treating the Young Male Victim of Sexual Assault: Issues and Intervention Strategies Syracuse, NY, Safer Society Press, 1986
Herman JL: Father-daughter incest.In Post-traumatic Therapy and Victims of Violence, FM Ochberg (ed). New York, Brunner/Mazel: 175–195, 1988
Finkelhor D: Child sexual Abuse: New Theory and Research. New York, The Free Press, 1984
Mullins JB: The relationship between child abuse and handicapping conditions. J Sch Health 56(4): 134–136, 1986
Brookhouser PE, Sullivan P, Scanlon JM, Garbarino J: Identifying the sexually abused deaf child: The otolaryngologist's role. Laryngoscope 96: 152–158, 1986
Jacobson A, Richardson B: Assault experiences of 100 psychiatric inpatients: Evidence of the need for routine inquiry. Am J Psychiatry 144(7): 908–913, 1987
Craine LS, Henson CE, Colliver JA, MacLean DG: Prevalence of a history of sexual abuse among female psychiatric patients in a state psychiatric hospital. Hosp Community Psychiatry 39(3): 300–304, 1988
Emslie GJ, Rosenfeld A: Incest reported by children and adolescents hospitalized for severe psychiatric problems. Am J Psychiatry 140(6): 708–711, 1983
Briere J, Runtz M: Post sexual abuse trauma: Data and implications for clinical practice. J Interpersonal Violence 2(4): 367–379, 1987
Wyatt GE, Mickey MR: Ameliorating the effects of child sexual abuse, An exploratory study of support by parents and others. J Interpersonal Violence 2(4): 403–414, 1987
Brandwein H: The battered child: A definite and significant factor in mental retardation. Ment Retard Oct: 50–51, 1973
Sandgrund A, Gaines RW, Green AH: Child abuse and mental retardation: A problem of cause and effect. Am J Ment Defic 79(3): 327–330, 1974
Souther M: Developmentally disabled, abused and neglected children: A high risk/high needs population.In Perspectives on Child Maltreatment in the Mid '80s (DHHS Pub. No. (OHDS) 84-30038). Washington, DC, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, 1984
Bryer JB, Nelson BA, Miller JB, Krol PA: Childhood sexual and physical abuse as factors in adult psychiatric illness. Am J Psychiatry 144(11): 1426–1430, 1987
Carmen E(H), Rieker PP, Mills T: Victims of violence and psychiatric illness. Am J Psychiatry 141(3): 378–383, 1984
Jacobson A, Herald C: The relevance of childhood sexual abuse to adult psychiatric inpatient care. Hosp Community Psychiatry 41(2): 154–158, 1990
Mullan PB, Cole SS: Health care providers' perceptions of the vulnerability of persons with disabilities: Sociological frameworks and empirical analyses. Sex Disabil 9(3), 1991
Sullivan PM, Scanlon JM: Therapeutic issues.In Special children—Special risks: The maltreatment of children with disabilities, J Garbarino, PE Brookhouser, KJ Authier (eds), New York, Adline De Gruyter: 127–159, 1987
Burgess AW, Hartman CR: Sexual Exploitation of Patients by Health Professionals. New York, Praeger, 1986
Finkelhor D: The trauma of child sexual abuse: Two models. J of Interpersonal Violence 2(4): 348–366, 1987
Mills T, Rieker PP, Carmen E(H): Hospitalization experiences of victims of abuse. Victimology: An International J 9(3–4): 436–449, 1985
Bart PB, O'Brien PH: Stopping Rape: Successful Survival Strategies. New York, Pergamon Press, 1985
Sobsey D, Varnhagan C: Sexual abuse and exploitation of people with disabilities: Toward prevention and treatment.In Special Education across Canada: Challenges for the 90's, M Csapo & L Gougen (eds). Vancouver, Centre for Human Development and Research, 1989
Crossmaker M, Merry D (eds): Stigma: Stereotypes and Scapegoats. Columbus, OH, Ohio Legal Rights Service, 1990
Scull A, Favreau D: A chance to cut is a chance to cure: Sexual surgery for psychosis in three nineteenth century societies. Res Law, Deviance and Soc Control 8: 3–39, 1986
Ferster EZ: Eliminating the unfit—Is sterilization the answer? Ohio State Law J 27: 591–633, 1966
Mechanic D: Mental Health and Social Policy, Third Edition. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall, 1989
ten Bensel RW, Arthur LG, Brown L, Riley J: Child Abuse and Neglect; National College of Juvenile Justice, Juvenile Justice Textbook Series, 1985
Steadman HJ, Vanderwyst D, Ribner SA: Comparing arrest records of mental patients and criminal offenders. Am J Psychiatry 135: 1218–1220, 1978
Teplin LA: The criminality of the mentally ill: A dangerous misconception. Am J Psychiatry 142(5): 593–599, 1985
Taylor SJ: “They're not like you and me”: Institutional attendants' perspectives on residents.In Qualitative Research and Evaluation in Group Care, New York, Haworth Press: 109–125, 1987
Mirabi M, Weinman ML, Magnetti SM, Keppler KN: Professional attitudes toward the chronic mentally ill. Hosp Community Psychiatry 36(4): 404–405, 1985
Gliedman J, Roth W: The Unexpected Minority: Handicapped Children in America. New York, Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich: 274–286, 1980
National Council on the Handicapped: On the threshold of independence: A report to the President and to the Congress of the United States, January 1988
Rosenhan DL: On being sane in insane places. Science 179: 250–258, 1973
Rothman DJ: The state as parent.In Doing Good: The Limits of Benevolence, W Gaylin, I Glasser, S Marcus, D Rothman, New York, Pantheon Books, 1981
California Network of Mental Health Clients: The Well-being Project, Final report. April 1, 1987
Blackbridge P, Gilhooly S: Still Sane. Vancouver, BC, Press Gang Publishers, 1985
Chessler P: Women and Madness. New York, Avon, 1972
Subcommittee on the Handicapped of the Committee on Labor and Human Resources; and the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations: Care of Institutionalized Mentally Disabled Persons, Parts I and II. United States Senate, Ninety-Ninth Congress, First Session on Examining the Issues Related to the Care and Treatment of the Nation's Institutionalized Mentally Disabled Persons. April 1–3, 1985
Hasenfeld Y: Human Service Organizations. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1983
Glasser I: Prisoners of benevolence.In Doing good: The limits of benevolence, W Gaylin, I Glasser, S Marcus D Rothman. New York, Pantheon Books, 1981
Scull AT: Madness and segregative control: The rise of the insane asylum.In Mental Health Care and Social Policy, P Brown (ed). Boston, MA: Routledge & Kegan Paul: 17–40, 1985
Goffman E: Asylums: Essays on the Social Situation of Mental Patients and Other Inmates. Garden City, New York, Anchor Books, 1961
Orlando NJ: The mock ward: A study in simulation.In Psychology for Our Time, P Zimbardo, C Maslach (eds). Glenview, IL, Scott Foresman and Co., 1977
Jacobson A, Koehler JE, Jones-Brown C: The failure of routine assessment to detect histories of assault experienced by psychiatric patients. Hosp Community Psychiatry 38(4): 386–389, 1987
Goodwin J: Family violence: Principles of intervention and prevention. Hosp Community Psychiatry 36(10): 1074–1079, 1985
Varley C: Schizophreniform psychosis in mentally retarded adolescent girls following sexual assault. Am J Psychiatry 141(4): 593–595, 1984
Kiesler CA, Sibulkin AE: Mental Hospitalization: Myths and Facts about a National Crisis. Beverly Hills, CA, Sage Publications, 1987
Montagne M: Health care or social control. Stigma: Stereotypes and Scapegoats; Columbus, OH, Ohio Legal Rights Service conference, 1990
Gartrell NK, Olarte S, Herman JL: Institutional resistance to self-study: A case report.In AW Burgess & CR Hartman (eds). Sexual Exploitation of Patients by Health Professionals, New York, Praeger: 121–131, 1986
Masson JM: The assault on truth: Freud's suppression of the seduction theory. New York, Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, 1984
Carmen E(H), Rieker PP: A psychosocial model of the victim-to-patient process. Psychiatr Clin North Am 12(2): 431–443, 1989
Stark E, Flitcraft A: Personal power and institutional victimization: Treating the dual trauma of woman battering.In Post-traumatic Therapy and Victims of Violence, FM Ochberg (ed). New York, Brunner/Mazel: 115–151, 1988
Rapid growth of private psychiatric hospitals in mid-1980s described in report from NIMH, Hosp Community Psychiatry 41(9): 1036–1037, 1990
Psychiatric hospitalization on decline in Canada, Psychiatric News, Vol. XXV(16), August 17, 1990: 8
Meyer L: Treatment or torture. Stigma: Stereotypes and Scapegoats; Columbus, OH, Ohio Legal Rights Service conference, 1990
Russell DEH: Sexual Exploitation, Rape, Child Sexual Abuse, and Workplace Harassment. Vol. 155, Beverly Hills, CA, Sage Publications, 1977
Mercer M: Closing the barn door: The prevention of institutional abuse through standards.In Institutional Abuse of Children and Youth, R Hanson (ed). New York, Haworth Press: 127–132, 1982
Magaro PA, Gripp R, McDowell DJ: The Mental Health Industry: A Cultural Phenomenon. New York, John Wiley & Sons, 1978
Diesenhouse S: Therapists start to address damage done by therapists. New York Times, Sunday, August 20, 1989: E5
Brown P: The mental patients' rights movement and mental health institutional change. Int J Health Serv 11(4): 523–540, 1981
Riska E, Klaukka T: Use of psychotropic drugs in Finland. Soc Sci Med 19(9): 983–989, 1984
Johnson J, Skinner A: Medication use in developmental centers. Apologist, Ohio Legal Rights Service 6(6): 1–6, 1986
Borison RL, Diamond BI, Sinha D, Gupta RP, Ajiboye PE: Clozapine withdrawal rebound psychosis. Psychopharmacol Bull 24(2): 260–263, 1988
Brown P, Funk, SC: Tardive dyskinesia: Barriers to the professional recognition of an iatrogenic disease. J Health Soc Behav 27(6): 116–132, 1986
Marx GT: Ironies of social control: Authorities as contributors to deviance through escalation, nonenforcement and covert facilitation. Soc Prob 28(3): 221–246, 1981
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Crossmaker, M. Behind locked doors—Institutional sexual abuse. Sex Disabil 9, 201–219 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01102393
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01102393