How ABA And Abuse Go Hand-in-Hand
Programs which teach compliance put children at?risk
Our kids deserve so much?better
Disabled and Autistic children are already at a higher risk of victimization compared to their neurotypical (NT) and non-disabled peers.
Putting vulnerable children in any program which utilizes behaviourism, forces compliance, and “trains” children to obey adults puts them at far greater risk.
This is why I was not surprised (devastated, yes, but not surprised) to learn that a man who has been convicted of trafficking children is living at one of these places right in my home province of Ontario.
The centre is called “Beating The Odds”, located in Essa Township, near the town of Barrie. Places like this are similar to conversion camps for gay kids — they’re trying to turn Autistic kids into NT kids.
As Autistic adults have been trying to warn folks for decades, they’re dangerous and abusive.
These instances are more the rule than the exception
Think the “new” or “modern” behaviourism is a lot better than the old school approaches? Think these serious incidents that make the news are rare exceptions?
They’re not, but let’s take a fairly innocuous example to illustrate the significant differences in philosophy: teaching a child to print their name.
Behaviourism approach:
Person-centered approach:
One focuses on forcing the child to do what the adult wants, manipulating them through the lure of reward and threat of punishment. The other wants to teach the same skill, but prioritizes the child’s needs and autonomy over the adult getting their way.
When you break it down that way, consider how that influences the overall adult-child relationship.
In one scenario, the adult holds all of the control, withholding or doling out what the child wants (or even needs) based on compliance and obedience. This not only highlights the power imbalance in the relationship, it takes full advantage of it.
In the second example, the adult recognizes the potential value of the skill to the child, but proceeds in a way that respects the child’s feelings. This approach doesn’t force the child to do something against their will, and instead seeks to partner with the child in working together toward a common goal.
Which relationship do you suppose is a healthier one? If most adults in the child’s life behave similarly to the first example, what message does that send to the child? Do what you’re told and don’t question authority.
What happens when “authority” asks the child to do something they’re uncomfortable with? Something they don’t like? Something possibly harmful or abusive?
Which child will be more likely to have the self-advocacy skills to speak up for themselves, and adults in their life they will feel safe going to for help?
This is neither new nor?unusual
If you think these are rare and unusual occurrences, think again. The estimated prevalence rate for childhood sexual abuse in Canada is between 10-12%, with at least 33% of children experiencing some form of violence or trauma in childhood.
Research has estimated that at least 40% of Autistics have been victims of childhood sexual abuse. This statistic is likely an underestimate, given the number of undiagnosed Autistics, low reporting rates, and difficulties identifying Autistic victims of sexual abuse.
There are so many reasons for this, coercive behavioural therapies are certainly not the only culprit.
Having fewer social connections and different interpersonal perceptions from neurotypicals make Autistics more vulnerable to victimization.
Communication is a basic human?right
Our differences in sensory perceptions, social rules, boundaries, and communication put us at greater risk.
Perpetrators are looking for vulnerabilities. Adding a lifetime of being “trained” into obedience and taught to ignore our own internal experiences multiplies those risks exponentially.
Further, most behaviours which express stress, upset, distress, anxiety, sadness, or fear are considered “inappropriate”.
Hitting ourselves, rocking, stimming, yelling, running away, banging things, crying, and swearing are all behaviours which are punished out of children — especially Autistic children in schools and behavioural therapies.
When children aren’t permitted to express their emotions — especially those related to frustration, distress, and fear — we’re preventing them from communicating to us that something is wrong.
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Of course we don’t want our children running around hitting themselves or others, or doing things that are unsafe. Rather than punish those behaviours, however, we must seek to understand why they are happening.
Please, protect Autistic children from further trauma. Teach all children, but especially vulnerable children, to trust their own internal experiences. Teach children they are allowed to say no to adults and to advocate for their wants and needs.
Teach children that their experiences matter. They matter.
? Jillian Enright, Neurodiversity MB
July 20, 2023?update
A protection order had been served against Amber Maloney, ordering her to immediately stop providing child care.
According to a recent news update, Amber-Lee Maloney has been charged with human trafficking and administering a noxious substance, among other crimes.
I hope this means her centre will be shut down.
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References
Anderson, L. K. (2023). Autistic experiences of applied behavior analysis. Autism, 27(3), 737–750. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221118216
Edelson, G. (2023). Challenges in determining whether youth with autism spectrum disorder have been sexually abused: implications for forensic interviewing. The Journal of Forensic Practice, 25(2), 152–165. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFP-08-2022-0044
Fabienne, C., Elisabeth, R., Séverine, L., David, G. (2022). Evidence That Nine Autistic Women Out of Ten Have Been Victims of Sexual Violence. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2022.852203
Gibbs, V., Hudson, J. & Pellicano, E. (2022). The Extent and Nature of Autistic People’s Violence Experiences During Adulthood: A Cross-sectional Study of Victimisation. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05647-3
Gibbs, V., Hudson, J., Hwang, J.I., Arnold, S., Trollor, J., Pellicano, E. (2021). Experiences of physical and sexual violence as reported by autistic adults without intellectual disability: Rate, gender patterns and clinical correlates,
Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2021.101866
Trundle, G., Jones, K. A., Ropar, D., & Egan, V. (2022). Prevalence of Victimisation in Autistic Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380221093689