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safeguarding
Accusing saints: when no one listens listened to and a failure by others to note those who are only too often unable to

receive justice and are unprotected.
changes in how they are communicating.
There are also often strong reactions of There are always difficulties around
repulsion, disbelief or shock that such a disclosures – fear and the knowledge of
thing could really have happened. being undervalued in society. Sexual abuse
Sometimes, investigations are quickly has its own impacts – blame, guilt, fear
closed through denial. and desperation. How then do women
Sexual abuse has its own impacts – with a learning disability, autism or both
blame, shame, fear, desperation, guilt, express and disclose in such potentially
suffering – which make disclosure difficult, hostile and dismissive environments?
sometimes impossible. Only some of the Denial is the response experienced too
many people referred to Respond’s frequently. Given how difficult it is for
survivors’ service have been able to let these women to disclose, how can they
someone know about such abuse. speak to anyone or receive the response
But there are others who are referred they need? They need to depend on the
because someone has noticed a change in strengths of those around them to be
their behaviour and understood this to be prepared to walk a difficult path together.
connected to something that has happened Towards the end of February, Irene
to them. These people have decided to Jean Vanier: if a person is thought to be wholly Tuffrey Wijne was that person. She is a
speak up and say that they believe good, it can make others blind to their failings good friend of Respond and had been
something traumatic has happened. inspired directly by Jean Vanier early in
Respond, through our survivor services, we her career to work with people with
Behaviour: challenging – or cry for help? see this type of denial response regularly learning disabilities. She lived and worked
It is rare for people with learning in many different types of organisations. in one of his communities.
disabilities to be described simply through Sexual abuse of this group of women She, like so many others, was shocked
the things they can do, what they are elicits the most illogical and prejudicial and distressed to hear the breaking news
interested in or how it feels to be in a responses within statutory and voluntary and, after taking a short time to reflect,
friendship. More often, they are seen and agencies alike. There is often a reaction of recognised what was most needed.
understood through a fairly narrow and repulsion or denial. This can feel like an The people in her community needed to
rather specific lens. It is likely that this is ignorant denial of shocking and traumatic take time together to think about what
focused on their behaviour. disclosures, particularly when the had happened, to support each other with
The framework currently being used to perpetrator is seen with affection, their feelings about this and to know that,
understand this is positive behaviour admired or respected. together, they could support each other
support (PBS). While it has its uses, it can However, the responses in the L’Arche to think about how best to move forward.
be limited and, in our experience, often case are complicated. Its statement seems All support and care organisations –
does not address how traumatic life events to deny the possibility that women with L’Arche among them – have safeguarding
may affect the way a person responds to learning disabilities in its communities could and conduct policies that indicate an open
the world. That is why we hear so much have been sexually abused by its founder. culture where disclosures of abuse or
about people being labelled as having Even communities and organisations set suspicions of it are welcomed. This is
behaviour that challenges. up with equality and integration at their clearly positive. But such policies must be
very core can lose touch with those values accessible to people with a learning
when faced with having to think about the disability, with a guarantee of being heard
Sexual abuse of women with unthinkable. But this is not altogether a if they speak up.
Here at Respond, we are ready to offer
learning disabilities elicits the surprise because it is hard to come to terms support to anyone, anywhere, who wishes
with such a shocking violation of trust.
most illogical and prejudicial To have to reframe a saint as a to speak up and reaches out to us. n
responses within statutory perpetrator is bad enough, but to have to ● Summary Report. L’Arche International.
believe that the dream that this man had
2020. https://tinyurl.com/tbupobc
and voluntary agencies alike built – a man who had inspired so many ● Respond: https://respond.org.uk/
others to work with him on this vision
– has been violated is just too difficult to Noelle Blackman is chief executive and
In our experience, this behaviour is often bear to think about. Lynne Tooze is independent sexual
a form of communication – it can be an To think about something so painful, violence adviser co-ordinator at Respond
expression that something unspeakable support is often needed in the form of
happened to them. supervision or reflective practice. In too References
How invisible are the symptoms of many services, this is not prioritised, yet L’Arche International. 2020a. What We Do.
sexual abuse? It can be easy to interpret a the damage done to people’s lives when https://www.larche.org/what-we-do
person’s behaviour as meaning something this investment is not made is huge. End the Fear. 2015. Disabled Women 2 To 5
Times are more Likely to Experience Sexual
else because that is more palatable. Violence than Non-Disabled Women.
Because of this, people can be frightened Most heinous act https://tinyurl.com/y7qsdyba
to speak up about any concerns they have Sexual abuse of a person with learning L’Arche International. 2020b. L’Arche
in relation to a person’s behaviour. disabilities is one of the most heinous acts International Inquiry into Historic Sexual Abuse
One of the general reactions found in – a physical, sexual, psychological and by Jean Vanier. www.larche.org.uk/news/
society is dismissal or disbelief. At spiritual attack on the most vulnerable – inquiry-statement

www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 33 No 4 | Summer 2020 23