Sexual violence against children and adolescents with visual impairments – findings and challenges

Children and young people with disabilities experience sexual violence significantly more often than their peers without disabilities. Girls and boys with visual impairments are particularly affected: studies show that up to 40% of blind women experience sexual abuse in childhood or adolescence – almost twice as many as the average population. But why is the risk so high? The Independent Commission for the Investigation of Child Sexual Abuse identifies key reasons: dependency, lack of education, and structural power imbalances. Today, adult survivors can tell us which structures have facilitated abuse, which people children could or could not confide in, and what consequences the violence had for blind and visually impaired people. The commission listens to their reports and uses the findings to draw the attention of politicians and society to the demands of those affected. The presentation introduces the commission’s latest findings, explains how it works, and asks: How can we empower those affected, make the process of coming to terms with the past accessible to all, and overcome structural deficits in child protection? The goal is to break the silence and work together to find ways to provide more protection, empowerment, and coming to terms with the past.