Making the Discussion of Survivors Inclusive of People with Disabilities
This session will focus on how to make approaches to sexual violence inclusive of people with disabilities. People with disabilities are statistically more likely to be victims of sexual assault, and disabilities (including mental and physical trauma) can often be a result of an assault. Stigma around disability is still so pervasive that a majority of survivors with disabilities are not believed when telling their stories in any space. There remains an opportunity to build an explicit disability justice lens in survivor spaces to the benefit of all. Our speakers will discuss their work in this space, and how organizations shaping dialogue on sexual violence can benefit from having disabled people at the table from day one.
Speakers:
Rebecca Cokley, Director, Disability Justice Initiative, Center for American Progress
Vilissa Thompson, LMSW – Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress; Social Worker, Activist
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Writer, Teacher, Disability and Transformative Justice Worker
Leslie Templeton, Board of Directors and Disability Caucus Coordinator, Women’s March