Towards Inclusive Responses to Sexual Violence

Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland (RCTN) contacted researchers at Durham University. Practitioners at RCTN were concerned that there wasn’t support available for victims of sexual violence with learning disabilities and that reports of sexual violence by a victim with a learning disability were less likely to see a criminal justice response. In response to these concerns, Alison Jobe from Durham University and Helen Williams from University of Sunderland conducted a local research project, in partnership with RCTN and Northumbria police. The research was funded by the N8 policing partnership and was completed in 2020. For further information, research reports and to view the launch of this research, see the RCTN webpage at the below link.

The research team were introduced to Us Too- a group of women with learning disabilities and/or autism who have experienced Domestic/Sexual Violence. Us Too are supported by Association for Real Change England (ARC-England). We told the Us Too group what we had found in the research project Access to Justice. This resonated with the group’s lived experience. We made a plan to work together to make a change- to make a difference. The result was the co-created film Us Too: Alisha’s Story- a film that tells the story of unheard survivors of sexual violence.

Us Too, Association for Real Change England (ARC-England) and the research team have co-created a series of visual resources for criminal justice agencies and for others with learning disabilities and/or autism . These images and short videos are available at the link below.