Introducing the Recite Me Toolbar!

Last month, on December 3rd, we celebrated the International Day of People with Disabilities. People with disabilities are considered to be the largest minority group in the world, and we are committed to accessibility in our services. To that end, we are thrilled to announce that we have added the Recite Me Toolbar to improve the accessibility of our website. To activate the toolbar, click on the “SITE ACCESSIBILITY” button on the main menu.

Disability isn’t always obvious and it can present in many different ways, especially when discussing online access, such as: visual impairments, learning difficulties, literacy and language barriers, neurological disorders, developmental disorders, and temporary disabilities caused by accidental injuries. We want our website to be functional and user-friendly for everyone.

As a domestic violence service provider, we must remain cognizant of the intersections that exist between disability and domestic violence. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, people with disabilities experience violent crime at 2x the rate of people without disabilities, and they are 3x as likely to be sexually assaulted as compared to their peers. Furthermore, police are statistically less likely to respond to reported violence against victims with disabilities than those without. The Spectrum Institute Disability and Abuse Project reported that 70% of respondents with disabilities experienced some form of abuse by an intimate partner, family member, caregiver, acquaintance or stranger. We are committed to acknowledging the unique challenges experienced by survivors with disabilities, and staying proactive about accessibility in our services. We even have a Resource Guide for working with survivors with disabilities.