Prevalence of Sexual Abuse of People With Intellectual Disabilities in Taiwan

Abstract

Although sexual abuse of people with intellectual disabilities has emerged as a major issue in the West over recent years, few researchers have examined this issue in Taiwan. The prevalence and current state of sexual abuse for people with intellectual disabilities in Taiwan were investigated here. Results of face-to-face interviews with 336 subjects revealed that the prevalence of sexual abuse for this population is 5.4%. This low prevalence of sexual abuse has certain cultural implications; most people with intellectual disabilities live in supported living settings and are, therefore, excluded from community life. Increased effort is needed to develop effective service programs for abuse prevention and strategies should be developed to improve the limitations in the present study.