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Children with Disabilities

6. Attitudes

6.2. Marchant

Marchant identified five myths encountered in relation to the sexual abuse of disabled children:

  1. Disabled children are not vulnerable to sexual abuse 
  2. Sexual abuse of disabled children is OK, or at least not as harmful as sexual abuse of other children 
  3. Preventing the sexual abuse of disabled children is impossible 
  4. Disabled children are even more likely than other children to make false allegations of abuse 
  5. If a disabled child has been sexually abused, it is best to leave well alone once the child is safe.
    6. (Gov.uk, July 2009)