#UsToo campaign with ARC England

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The Us Too team is a group of women with learning disabilities, autism or both who have experienced domestic abuse.

Between 2019 – 2021 they were funded by Comic Relief to develop learning based on their experiences for:

  • Other women with learning disabilities, autism or both on how to stay safe.
  • Professionals working with women with learning disabilities, autism or both on how to keep people safe.
  • Domestic abuse and sexual violence services on how to make their services more accessible to women with learning disabilities, autism or both.

“The ‘Us Too’ project involved a group of women who have learning disabilities and or autism, who have experienced abuse. The project involves teaching our peers and professionals about domestic abuse.

“We all have our own part to say or do, so we are all involved. We are stronger as a group.”

What we know about learning disabilities, autism and domestic abuse

People with learning disabilities, autism or both are thought to experience domestic abuse at about three times the rate of the general population.

In the year to 2020 this would mean that about 200,000 people with learning disabilities in the UK experienced domestic abuse in that year alone.

We are proud of ourselves for being part of the group and for preventing domestic abuse from happening to other women with learning disabilities and or autism.

The Us Too team

Public Health England (2015) tell us that disabled people experience:

  • Higher rates of domestic abuse
  • Over a longer period of time
  • With greater severity and frequency
  • More coercion and control
  • And people living in particularly vulnerable circumstances
  • . . . with more barriers to services.

“’Us Too’ has been working to prevent domestic abuse from happening to other women. The project makes women with learning disabilities and autism more aware of the signs of domestic abuse.

“We are trying to teach women and girls about what healthy relationships look like, and how to stay safe in relationships. We are proud of ourselves for being part of the group and for preventing domestic abuse from happening to other women with learning disabilities and or autism.”

Find out more about the campaign on ARC England’s website.