This paper examines the importance of attitudes and perceptions that care staff and police officers have towards people with learning disabilities. After discussion of the importance of attitudes with respect to people with learning disabilities, recent evidence is examined concerning attitudes to learning disabilities and sexuality and the measurement of such attitudes.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Antonak R.F., Fielder C.R., Mulick J.A.1993A scale of attitudes toward the application of eugenics to the treatment of people with mental retardation. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research37, 1: 75-83
2.
Antonak R.F., Mulick J.A., Kobe F.H., Fielder C.R.1995Influence of mental retardation severity and respondent characteristics on self-reported attitudes toward mental retardation and eugenicsJournal of Intellectual Disability Research39, 4: 316-325
3.
Bratlinger E.1983Measuring variation and change in attitudes of residential care staff toward the sexuality of mentally retarded persons. Mental Retardation21; 1: 17-22
4.
Brown H.1994An ordinary sexual life? A review of the normalisation principle as it applies to the sexual options of people with learning disabilities . Disability & Society9; 2: 123-144
5.
Brown H., Egan-Sage E., Barry G., McKay C.1996Towards better interviewing. A handbook for police officers and social workers on the sexual abuse of adults with learning disabilities . Pavilion Publishing, Brighton
6.
Cole S.1991Preface to special issue on sexual exploitation of persons with disabilities. In Sexuality and Disability Vol. 9, Issue 3 Human Sciences Press, New York, pp 179-183
7.
Crossmaker M.1991Behind locked doors - institutionalized sexual abuseSexuality and Disability9, 3201-219
8.
Damels S.M.1978Correlates of attitudes towards the sexuality of the disabled person in selected health professionals. Sexuality and Disability1; 2: 112-126
9.
Fitzsimons J., Barr O.1997A review of the reported attitudes of health professionals towards people with learning disabilities implications for education and further researchJournal of Learning Disabilities for Nursing, Health and Social Care1, 2. 57-64
10.
Galton F.1883Inquiries into human faculty and its developmentMacmillan, London
11.
Gordon S.1979Sexual rights for people . who happen to be handicappedCenter on Human Policy, Syracuse, New York
12.
Haavik S.F., Menninger K.A.1981Sexuality, law, and the developmentally disabled personPaul H Brooks, Baltimore
13.
Heptinstall D.1994Sexual abuse justice means too many hurdles. Community Living Journal7, 4: 6-8
14.
Hirayama H.1979Management of the sexuality of the mentally retarded in Institutions: problems and issues in In Kunkel D (Ed). Sexual Issues in Social Work School of Social Work , Hawaii University, Hawaii pp 105-130
15.
Jones E.E.1984Social StigmaWH Freeman, USA
16.
Langness L L, Levine H G1986 (Eds) Culture and retardationReidel Publishing, Dordrecht
17.
Livneh H.1982On the origins of negative attitudes towards people with disabilitiesRehabilitation Literature43, 11-12338-347
18.
Markova I., Jahoda A., Cattermole H.1988The chief scientist reports The meaning of independent living for people with a mental handicap. Health Bulletin46/4: 246-253
19.
Murphy G.1979Sexuality and the potential of the older person In: Kunkel D (Ed) Sexual Issues in Social Work School of Social Work, Hawaii University , Hawaii
20.
Paris M.1993Attitudes of medical students and health care professionals toward people with learning disabilitiesArchives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation74818-825
21.
Parker T., Abramson R.A.1995The law hath not been dead: protecting adults with mental retardation from sexual abuse and violation of their sexual freedomMental Retardation33; 4257-263
22.
Podel D.M., Kastner J., Kastner S.1994Mental retardation and adult women's perceptions of adolescent sexual abuseChild Abuse and Neglect18; 10809-819
23.
Roeher Institute1992No more victims a manual to guide the police in addressing the sexual abuse of people with a mental handicap. Ontario , Canada
Slevm E., Sines D.1996Attitudes of nurses in a general hospital towards people with learning disabilities: influences of contact, and graduate - non-graduate status, a comparative study. Journal of Advanced Nursing24: 1116-1126
27.
Smith D.C., Valenti-Hein D., Heller T.1985Interpersonal competence and community adjustment of retarded adults. In. Sigman M (Ed) Children with Emotional Disorders and Developmental Disabilities Assessment and Treatment. Grune & Stratton, Orlanda
28.
Sobsey D.1994Violence and Abuse in the Lives of People with Disabilities Paul H Brookes, Baltimore
29.
Stem J., Brown H.1995All in this together: an evaluation of joint training on the abuse of adults with learning disabilities. Health and Social Care2: 1-10
Szollos A.A., McCabe M.P.1995The sexuality of people with mild intellectual disability perceptions of clients and caregiversAustralian & New Zealand Journal of Developmental Disabilities3205-222
32.
Waxman B.F.1991Hatred The unacknowledged dimension in violence against disabled peopleJournal of Sexuality and Disability9; 3. 185-199
33.
Williams C.1993Crime against people with learning difficulties. Norah Fry Research Centre, Bristol
34.
Williams C.1995Invisible victims: crime and abuse against people with learning difficultiesJessica Kingsley, London
35.
Yorkshire Television 'Appropriate adult', 'A Touch of Frost', Yorkshire Television1995