Self-Defense Among Women With Disabilities: An Unexplored Domain in Domestic Violence Cases

Women with disabilities are frequent victims of domestic violence, yet scant research has examined self-protective mechanisms that could mitigate this abuse. This article reviews prevalence and types of intimate partner violence against women with disabilities and explores the factors that leave this population at higher risk for abuse than nondisabled women. Barriers to self-protection against domestic violence for women with diverse disabilities are highlighted and the use of nonfatal force as self-defense is explored. A case example and considerations for enhancing self-protection strategies for women with disabilities experiencing intimate partner violence are provided.