“Put bluntly, they are targeted by the worst creeps society has to offer”: Police and professionals’ views and actions relating to domestic violence and women with intellectual disabilities

Background: Little is known about the attitudes and practices of key personnel towards the domestic violence experienced by women with intellectual disabilities.

Method: An online survey was conducted of Police officers and health and social care professionals. A total of 717 Police and other professionals across a wide variety of UK sites responded. Research questions were focussed on direct experience, attitudes and responses.

Results: Approximately half of all respondents had direct experience of working with a woman with intellectual disabilities who had been through domestic violence. Professionals were more likely than the Police to see women with intellectual disabilities as being especially vulnerable. The majority of both professionals and Police believed women with intellectual disabilities were deliberately targeted by violent and abusive men.

Conclusions: More training is needed for both the Police and health and social care professionals specifically in domestic violence as it affects women with intellectual disabilities.