I recommend this book to anyone engaged in working collaboratively with people with the label 'learning difficulty', particularly in women's; groups, self advocacy or rights bases/citizenship concerns. The plain English accounts are accessible, but I also found the main bulk of the text easily translatable and used it extensively in my recent research. For the women involved in this project it provided a framework of reference in which they recognized similar life events and experiences. Not only does this book fill this gap by providing a frame in which women can examine this exclusion, it also questions the marginalized position of women classified as having 'learning difficulties' in feminist and disability literature.' - Disability and Society 'This is such a good read that it is difficult to be objective about the content, criticism was suspended! It is divided into parts and each part is helpfully introduced by the editors. There is also a short straightforward description of the content at the beginning of each chapter so that women with intellectual disabilities can be included in the readership.This book gives us a valuable insight into the lives of women with learning disabilities. It changes an often discriminated group into individuals of considerable interest and value. It is to be recommended to everyone who feels that difference is important in our community.' - Ann Craft Trust Bulletin This book provides the first comprehensive exploration of the issues affecting the lives of women with intellectual disabilities. Women from all over the world, with and without intellectual disabilities, have collaborated to write about their lives, their experiences and their hopes for the future. Different aspects of life - work, family, relationships and community involvement - are discussed. Some of the women have found, or are finding, fulfilling, happy, creative lifestyles. One message which emerging from many of their stories is that their intellectual disability is less of a problem than the social and economic discrimination these women experience. This book thus raises important questions about society's attitudes to women with intellectual disabilities. It is also a place where these women's stories - from the sad or disturbing to the happy, moving or inspirational - can be heard. The book's unique plain English versions of chapters will ensure that it is accessible to other women with intellectual disabilities. It is an important, interesting and readable addition to literature about intellectual disabilities and about women's lives across the world.

The essential resource to the most recent research and practice on offenders with intellectual and developmental disabilities The Wiley Handbook on Offenders with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities is a comprehensive compendium to the research and evidence supporting clinical work with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who offend or are at risk of offending. With contributions from an international panel of experts, the text reviews the most recent developments in the assessment, treatment and management of various types of offenders with intellectual disabilities including violent offenders, sexual offenders and firesetters. The text also explores the developments in research on risk assessment and management of people with intellectual disabilities who offend or are at risk of offending. In addition, the handbook also contains information on developments in research into the epidemiology of offending in this population, pathways into services and the trajectories of the criminal careers of those who will later go on to offend. This important resource: Includes contributions from expert international researchers and practitioners in the field Describes a range of theoretical, conceptual and ethical assessments as well as treatment and service development issues that are relevant practitioners in clinical practice Presents the ethical-legal considerations that offer a conceptual framework for the handbook Sets out a variety of the most current evidence-based interventions Written for psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses and other mental health professionals, and those in education and training, The Wiley Handbook on Offenders with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities offers a much-needed resource on the latest developments in the field.

The first major reference work that addresses the specific emotional and behavioral problems of girls Provides an integrative, conceptual framework in which to understand and address the needs of girls - that is, then handbook examines not only the most current theories and research on girls but also addresses real-world potential for assessment, treatment, and prevention Examines a wide variety of behavioral and emotional problems confronting girls, including mood and anxiety disorders; eating and body image disorders; ADHD, PDDs, LDs, and mental retardation; aggression and delinquency; physical abuse; sexual abuse, and neglect; abuse and violence in dating relationships; substance abuse and homelessness; and gender-identity disorder

"The authors also examine the influence of disability polices and programs on all of these factors and suggest future directions."--BOOK JACKET.

Why is the sexuality of people with intellectual disabilities often deemed “risky” or “inappropriate” by teachers, parents, support staff, medical professionals, judges, and the media? Should sexual citizenship depend on IQ? Confronting such questions head-on, Already Doing It exposes the “sexual ableism” that denies the reality of individuals who, despite the restrictions they face, actively make decisions about their sexual lives. Tracing the history of efforts in the United States to limit the sexual freedoms of such persons⎯using methods such as forced sterilization, invasive birth control, and gender-segregated living arrangements—Michael Gill demonstrates that these widespread practices stemmed from dominant views of disabled sexuality, not least the notion that intellectually disabled women are excessively sexual and fertile while their male counterparts are sexually predatory. Analyzing legal discourses, sex education materials, and news stories going back to the 1970s, he shows, for example, that the intense focus on “stranger danger” in sex education for intellectually disabled individuals disregards their ability to independently choose activities and sexual partners—including nonheterosexual ones, who are frequently treated with heightened suspicion. He also examines ethical issues surrounding masturbation training that aims to regulate individuals’ sexual lives, challenges the perception that those whose sexuality is controlled (or rejected) should not reproduce, and proposes recognition of the right to become parents for adults with intellectual disabilities. A powerfully argued call for sexual and reproductive justice for people with intellectual disabilities, Already Doing It urges a shift away from the compulsion to manage “deviance” (better known today as harm reduction) because the right to pleasure and intellectual disability are not mutually exclusive. In so doing, it represents a vital new contribution to the ongoing debate over who, in the United States, should be allowed to have sex, reproduce, marry, and raise children.

Sexuality and Women with Learning Disabilities makes a significant contribution to both feminist and disability literature, because it challenges common assumptions about the sexuality of people with learning disabilities, forces a reconsideration of how this group of people are viewed by those around them and links gender and disability in its analysis.' -Tizard Learning Disability Review 'By tackling issues that have received little meaningful attention, McCarthy both makes a valuable contribution to the literature and provides a useful practical guide to those wishing to support their clients more effectively.' - Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Care 'The thoroughness and attention to detail with which McCarthy has investigated and written about the sexual lives of a small number of women with mild to moderate learning difficulties is to be commended. Drawing upon interviews with the women who participated in this study, there is explicit detail about the reality of their sexual lives that overall comes across as sad, poignant and often shocking, with a high level of sexual abuse revealed... however, McCarthy has a strong code of ethics and sensitivity and a reflexive honesty about her role and stance as a feminist researcher that removes any possibility or suggestion of prurient voyeurism or exploitation being a part of this research. McCarthy writes as a woman with and about women, allowing their voices about their sexual experiences to be heard through the medium of in-depth interviews. Within the book, the sexual experiences of women with learning disabilities are set in a wider policy and practice framework and discussed in relation to ideologies surrounding learning disability, gender and sexuality in a cultural context. The book ends with a chapter discussing and listing policy and practice recommendations, including suggestions about changes to the law... Overall, this was a convincing and compelling book that deserves serious attention and I would strongly recommend it to anyone with an interest in learning disability issues, including practitioners, carers, relatives, advocates and counsellors.' - CSPRD Newsletter In this study of women with mild and moderate learning disabilities, Michelle McCarthy investigates how these women experience their sexual lives, basing her research on interviews with the women themselves. She argues the importance of informing the work of those responsible at research, practice and policy levels with the voices of people with learning disabilities. In the interviews, women talk openly about what form their sexual activity takes and what it means for them, the circumstances in which it occurs, and the pleasures (or lack thereof) associated with it. These interviews directly shape the policy and practice recommendations the author makes. Michelle McCarthy's findings suggest that women with learning disabilities commonly find themselves engaged in sexual activity which is not to their liking and not of their choosing. A high level of sexual abuse was also reported. The author discusses this in relation to the cultural forces which have influenced Western perceptions of sexuality, feminism and theories and prejudices about learning disabilities. She also studied the impact of institutional and community settings on the sexuality of women with learning disabilities. In Sexuality and Women with Learning Disabilities, McCarthy makes recommendations for policy and practice which will protect this vulnerable group, and advises on education, support and seeking justice for abused women.

An authoritative, evidence-based overview of the health needs of people with intellectual disabilities and how to manage these needs appropriately.

The first interdisciplinary book taking a contextual approach to the developing health needs of women with intellectual disabilities. It considers the social, economic and political contexts of health promotion. Its concise but comprehensive evidence base makes it a unique, reliable source for a wide readership.

The book's plain English versions of chapters will ensure that it is accessible to other women with intellectual disabilities."--BOOK JACKET.

This book charts the course through which people with learning disabilities have become increasingly able to direct their own lives as fully active members of their communities. Many of the personal accounts, photographs and songs included in this book will be accessible and encouraging to people with learning disabilities.