RASAC Blogs

Neurodiversity, Intimacy and Sexual Violence

What is neurodiversity?

The 17-23rd of March is Neurodiversity Celebration Week, but what is neurodiversity? Approximately 15-20% of the population has a neurological difference, and neurodiversity is often used as an umbrella term for people who are neurodivergent. This includes people with a range of developmental and learning disabilities, from autism and ADHD, to dyspraxia (DCD), dyscalculia, dyslexia, and Tourette’s syndrome.

A window into neurodiversity and experiences of abuse

There is evidence that neurodivergent people are more likely to experience abuse and sexual violence than the general population:

The reasons for this are complex. Stigma, stereotypes and discrimination affect how disabled people experience the world. Neurodivergent people may be at greater risk of sexual violence due to factors like:

• Social isolation
• Not getting neuroinclusive sex education
• Being more dependent on caregivers or people they are close to, meaning they have less power in those relationships
• Not immediately recognising behaviours as being abusive
• Being perceived by perpetrators as more vulnerable
• Communication barriers that make disclosing abuse harder

Getting support and disclosing experiences of sexual violence can often be made more difficult by inaccurate, ableist assumptions about disabled people and sex; that disabled people don’t need sex education, are undesirable, aren’t at risk of abuse, or simply aren’t interested in having romantic or sexual partners.

Neurodiversity and intimacy

A 2024 UK study  asking young people with ADHD and/or autism about their experiences of relationships and sex education noted that those with ADHD were more likely to have had romantic experiences than autistic participants, despite both groups desiring romantic connections.

One 2022 study found that young women with ADHD reported experiencing intense feelings of attraction when meeting new people, and this sometimes led to impulsive decisions to enter temporary sexual relationships, such as one-night stands. Women also said that engaging in sexual behaviours that didn’t feel socially acceptable made it more difficult to talk to friends or healthcare professionals. In new relationships, women with ADHD often adjusted their behaviour because they were scared of being ‘too much’, but couldn’t continue masking long-term.

While factors like social isolation, finding it hard to communicate, or experiencing intimate relationships differently may make neurodivergent people more vulnerable to abuse, the only person who is ever responsible for sexual violence is the perpetrator.

Support for neurodivergent survivors

At RASAC Perth & Kinross, we are here to listen, believe and support. Members of our team and survivors we support are neurodivergent, and we are keen to enable neurodivergent survivors to access the support they need. This might include:

• Meeting in our support rooms, which offer low, soft lighting, soft furnishings such as blankets, fidget toys and sensory tools.
• Meeting at another location that feels comfortable to you.
• Contacting you in the way you prefer, such as text or email rather than phone calls.
• Meeting in the same place at the same time, for example the same support room each time.
• Contacting you in advance of your first visit to explain what will happen when you arrive.
• Sending you pictures of the building and support rooms ahead of your visit.
• Providing easy-read resources, talking through our resources with you, or adapting our resources to suit your needs.

You may not know yet what adjustments might help, and you don’t need to have a formal diagnosis of neurodivergence to talk to us about additional needs – we can work together to find a way forward.

Contact us

If you have experienced sexual violence and want our support:

• Email us at upport@rasacpk.org.uk">support@rasacpk.org.uk
• Give us a call on 01738 630965. One of our team will answer the call or you’ll be able to leave a message with your contact number and we will call you back as soon as possible. You do not have to leave your real name if you do not want to, and you can request a reply by text or email.
• You can also call the National Helpline every evening from 6pm on 08088 01 03 02.