Seminar focuses on preventing abuse, neglect of disabled

Education is key to stopping the abuse of people with disabilities, according to a seminar held Saturday morning.

The Heartland Down Syndrome Association hosted the free seminar at the Cape Girardeau Public Library, which addressed the importance of detecting and reporting the victimization of disabled individuals within the community.

�I hope you enjoy this presentation, and I hope you don�t enjoy this presentation, I hope it compels you to take action and I hope it compels you to start talking to your neighbors, friends, coworkers and everyone in your community,� said Ed Thomas, executive director of Camden County Developmental Disability Resources and president of Arc of Missouri, which he said provides services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Thomas said he is not shy about �getting the information out� in an effort to inform as many people as possible.

�Victimization is happening and we can stop it,� Thomas said as he introduced two videos � both graphic � showing real-life stories of victims Rusty and Brittany, who were abused by caretakers.

Rusty�s story involved �abuse, neglect and exploitation,� Thomas said, and as of today, no arrests have been made partly because of certain statutes that were found to not apply to the situation.

Thomas said Brittany�s story was one of �slavery and trafficking.� She was bought and sold into a life of torture and he said it was because of her disability.

�People who are abusers know the system,� Thomas said. �There�s a limited public awareness about victimization in communities across the nation.�

According to Thomas, �extensive research� has revealed a correlation between providing education and preventing similar incidents from happening.

Thomas said �we have to know it�s happening.�

�These are not easy conversations to have,� Thomas said. �Nobody wants to talk about this. We gotta have community conversation. We gotta start educating folks.�

Thomas said within Cape Girardeau County, 2 percent of the population has a developmental disability, with less than half recognized by any state or local system.

He also said most disabled individuals who are abused, neglected or exploited experience those things within their own homes.

As a result of a survey, Thomas said there are about 100,000 people in Missouri who can be considered to have an intellectual or developmental disability, with the state only recognizing 37,000.

As for what to look for when identifying possible �perpetrators,� Thomas said it could be caregivers, acquaintances, coworkers, friends and even strangers.

He went on to explain that in a small community, �nothing private is private.�

Abuser behaviors may include �impulsive� actions; not being reliable; having an �isolated� demeanor and frequently switching health-care providers.

Thomas emphasized asking questions is �not against the law.�

When identifying a potential victim of abuse, neglect or exploitation, one may notice burns, cuts, scars, bruises, imprint injuries or infections.

�There�s an obvious difference between wearing a color or a scarf and having lesions because there were chains pulling on you the night before because you were fighting trying to get away,� Thomas said. �Those things happen. People can be evil.�

Verbal signs may include a male victim saying he has a stomachache and a female victim may say she has a headache, Thomas said. Dehydration, poor or improper hygiene, poor grooming and undernourishment also may be signs of abuse and neglect.

�If something is disclosed to me, I don�t hesitate. The hotline is getting a call, or the authorities,� Thomas said. �If nothing is found to be wrong, it doesn�t mean nothing is wrong. But at least it was investigated.�

If abuse, neglect or exploitation is suspected, Thomas urges people to call (800) 392-0210 to make a report.

For more information, visit andwecanstopit.org.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632

Pertinent address:

711 Clark Ave., Cape Girardeau, Mo.