July marks Disability Pride Month, a time to honor the strength, identity, and rights of individuals living with disabilities. It commemorates the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in July 1990 a landmark civil rights law intended to protect people with disabilities from discrimination. Yet, more than three decades later, individuals with disabilities especially children remain disproportionately vulnerable to abuse and often face staggering legal barriers when seeking justice.
At Andreozzi + Foote, we represent survivors who have experienced some of the most egregious violations of their safety and dignity. Survivors with physical, intellectual, or developmental disabilities often face compounded harm. Institutions neglect their needs, cover up abuse, and operate within a legal system that fails to protect them.
Abuse of Children with Disabilities Is Alarmingly Common
Research consistently shows that children with disabilities are at significantly higher risk of sexual abuse than their non-disabled peers.
- According to the U.S. Department of Justice, children with disabilities are 2.9 times more likely to be sexually abused than those without disabilities.
- Girls with disabilities are at nearly four times greater risk for sexual assault.
- A 2023 report by the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System found that children with disabilities represent nearly 16% of substantiated child abuse cases, despite comprising only 7% of the child population.
Institutions continue to fail children in schools, group homes, youth programs, and healthcare settings places where children should feel safe. These failures are not isolated; they reveal a disturbing pattern of systemic neglect.
Barriers to Justice Are Deeply Embedded
For disabled survivors of sexual abuse, reporting and seeking legal recourse is often fraught with additional hurdles:
- Communication challenges: Nonverbal or neurodivergent children may be unable to clearly describe what happened, making disclosures more easily dismissed.
- Credibility bias: Survivors with intellectual disabilities are often not believed, or their testimony is treated as less reliable in court.
- Institutional protectionism: Schools and care facilities may work to shield staff or volunteers from consequences—especially when victims require full-time care and cannot advocate for themselves.
- Lack of accessible legal support: Many survivors and families simply do not have the means or guidance to navigate a complex, intimidating legal system that often lacks trauma-informed accommodations.
The result? Perpetrators go unpunished. Victims feel retraumatized. And cycles of abuse continue.
A Civil Rights Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight
At Andreozzi + Foote, we believe civil justice must be accessible to everyone, regardless of ability. Our attorneys have represented countless survivors with disabilities. In many cases, staff knew about the abuse or even witnessed it yet chose to take no action.. These are not just criminal violations; they are civil rights violations, and they demand accountability.
Civil lawsuits provide survivors and families with a pathway to:
- Expose systemic negligence
- Hold institutions financially and publicly accountable
- Secure resources for long-term care and healing
- Force policy changes to protect other vulnerable children
Justice Shouldn’t Be a Privilege
Disability Pride Month reminds us that dignity, safety, and autonomy are not special accommodations they are basic rights. Survivors with disabilities deserve the same protection, belief, and advocacy as anyone else.
If you or someone you love has experienced sexual abuse and lives with a disability, you are not alone. And you are not without options.
Bible Chapel Ministries (Child with Down Syndrome)
In June 2025, Andreozzi + Foote filed a civil lawsuit on behalf of a 13-year-old boy with Down syndrome who was sexually abused during a youth ministry event.
- The assault, captured on surveillance video, went unreported until the next day.
- The church dismissed the incident as “boys being boys,” failed to remove the abuser, and did not notify authorities
This case underscores how institutions routinely fail disabled youth and avoid accountability when their duty of care is most critical.
South Philadelphia High School (Student with Intellectual Disability)
Also this June, the firm highlighted a pivotal Commonwealth Court ruling involving a student with an intellectual disability who was sexually assaulted in gym class.
- The court unanimously ruled that public schools can no longer claim sovereign immunity when negligence enables peer-on-peer abuse.
This decision marks a major breakthrough in empowering survivors with disabilities to pursue civil action against failing institutions.
Why These Cases Matter
- Raised Awareness: The Bible Chapel case brings national attention to how disabled youth are marginalized and their abuse minimized.
- Legal Precedent: The Commonwealth Court decision signals a new era of accountability for schools that enable dangerous situations for students with disabilities.
Taking Action: Seek Justice With Us
If you or your loved one has a disability and experienced abuse or neglect especially in institutions like churches, schools, group homes, or care facilities Andreozzi + Foote can help. We provide:
- Trauma-informed, disability-aware legal representation
- Commitment to holding institutions accountable
- Free, confidential consultation to explore your legal options
Reach out for a free, confidential consultation:
Visit: www.victimscivilattorneys.com
Call: 866-753-5458
