Bullying is a common problem for mentally disabled people, study says

Bullying has become a common problem for people with disabilities, with verbal bullying the most prevalent.

A report has found that most people with intellectual disabilities experience bullying regularly, and in different locations.

It found little evidence of prevention and said the lack of implementation raises a deeper question as to the credibility of those in authority with regard to individual complainants.

The report, published yesterday, outlines a research project undertaken at the National Institute of Intellectual Disability at Trinity College Dublin.

While verbal bullying is most prevalent, it says incidents of physical assault and indirect forms of bullying, such as exploitation and ostracism, are also common.

It found bullying of children with an intellectual disability is highly prevalent in schools and extends to community-based locations for both children and adults.

It describes bullying of adults with an intellectual disability in public places as a significant issue.

The report, presented to the National Disability Authority, warns that the impact of bullying has a snowball effect that was devastating, with victims becoming socially withdrawn and being forced out of their own neighbourhood.

Dr Fintan Sheerin, acting director of the National Institute for Intellectual Disability, said the study found that people with intellectual disabilities are worried that their complaints are not being acted upon.

The report recommends that people with intellectual disabilities should be able to attend training sessions to improve their confidence and self-esteem, and learn strategies to tackle bullies.

Dr Sheerin said the experience of people with intellectual disabilities often went unheard. “Even in this report it is shown that people tend not to report; they tend to keep quiet and to shy away,” said Dr Sheerin. “Their way of dealing with bullying is to walk away.

“That fits into the perspective of people who have been disempowered; who just live with it and keep their head down so they won’t be noticed.

“But the bullying is coming from mainstream society; from people who don’t have an intellectual disability; it is experienced within the service and among people who have an intellectual disability as well.”