I am Deaf/deaf or Hard-of-Hearing

Survivors who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing face very different barriers than those with other disabilities. The most significant barrier is communication accessibility. You may have experienced a tendency by people to ignore you because they don't know how to deal with your deafness. The hearing world may feel very separate from your own; you may have had negative experiences in the past with doctors, police, or counselors, or crisis lines which claim to be TTY-accessible, but in fact, are not.

Because so much of modern knowledge comes from the spoken word, whether through the media or casual conversation, information about rape, sexual abuse, battering and harassment has only recently been discussed in the Deaf community. If you are not part of this community, you may still feel uninformed about these issues. More and more services are addressing the needs of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing survivors; some have Deaf advocates and hotline counselors.

If you are unaware of your rights as a Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing consumer, that information is available. Police, hospitals, and Commonwealth's attorneys are all required by law to provide qualified sign-language interpreters and other auxiliary aids as needed. You have the right to request a qualified sign-language or oral interpreter, if you need one. Miscommunication is all-too easy in these situations, so try to keep as much control as you can. It might also be helpful to have an advocate who can be your "reality checker" if you feel something has gone wrong. Hearing or Deaf, what is important is that the advocate be knowledgeable about the rights of survivors.

It's also possible that you will have to travel some distance to find the kind of counseling that you feel is right for you, particularly if you seek a professional counselor who is Deaf. Advocates from either Victim-Witness or SARA can try to help you find the appropriate resource.