Heterogeneity of Disabilities and the Consequences of Victimization: Findings from a Nationally Representative Sample

Much remains unknown about how disability intersects with victimization. Relying on data from the 2016- 2019 nationally representative self-reported National Crime Victimization Survey, we examine if type of disability is associated with different health outcomes when someone is violently victimized. Through logistic regressions, we examine if the individual is injured (or not) and, among those injured, examine if they had a severe injury. In addition, we assess self-reported general mental distress (multinomial logistic regression) and self-reported mental distress symptoms (negative binomial model). Persons with physical disabilities have higher odds of being injured. Among those with a physical injury, persons with cognitive disabilities had higher odds of experiencing a severe injury. Victims with cognitive disabilities had greater mental distress and deaf victims had less mental distress. Implications for the healthcare and criminal legal systems are discussed.