Sexual Abuse of Children With Learning Disabilities

Although children with a learning disability (LD) are at an increased risk of sexual abuse, it is unclear whether conditions specific to their impairment are associated with sexual assault or if risk derives from other comorbid conditions such as behavioral problems, social skill deficits, or loneliness. Using a national probability study of child maltreatment investigations in the United States (n = 2,033), we hypothesized that children over the age of 4 with a LD are target congruent to a sexual perpetrator. Seven percent of children were identified as having a LD, and the odds of a sexual abuse allegation was 2.5 times greater for children with a LD relative to children without a LD regardless of confounders. Further, type and severity of assaults varied by group: over 3 times more children with a LD experienced digital or oral copulation compared to those without a LD. Results suggest that children with LDs may require tailored prevention efforts to protect them from sexual abuse.