A Feminist Mixed Methods Evaluation of the Curriculum "Illinois Imagines"”

Sexual violence against women is endemic in the United States. Feminists have theorized the prevalence of sexual violence as the consequence of “rape culture”, where myriad forms of violence against women are products of paternalistic, patriarchal systems. Similarly, disability studies has identified ableist protectionism as an individualized reaction to sexual violence, demanding the transformation of structural oppression that perpetuates vulnerability. There is a tension in the feminist anti-violence movement between doing the systemic work of social and institutional transformation of “rape culture”, and addressing immediate needs of individual “survivors”. Although both fronts are critical, this research focused on the needs of individual women with disabilities, as one small part of transforming rape culture. While feminist analysis has incorporated some issues for women with physical disabilities, work resisting rape culture with women with intellectual disabilities (ID) has been less explored. Feminist disability theory and activism have identified strategies for resisting paternalist, patriarchal, ableist, and protectionist rape culture. Among these strategies are comprehensive general sexuality and anti-sexual violence education, and the fostering of gender and disability empowerment such as through consciousness raising and sexual self-advocacy. This work was conceptualized as feminist and disability studies research, where women with ID were supported in resisting rape culture paternalism and protectionism through developing skills for preventing and coping with sexual violence. This research was a feminist mixed methods evaluation of an anti-sexual violence curriculum for women with disabilities called the, “Illinois Imagines Project: Improving Services to Women with Disabilities who have been Victims of Sexual Violence”, a curriculum created by a federal grant from the Office on Violence Against Women (OVAW). The OVAW grant was intended to build state capacity in responding to sexual violence against women with disabilities, by increasing collaboration between disability service agencies (DSA) and rape crisis centers (RCC) around the state. Illinois Imagines was a product in response to requests by rape crisis educators involved in this capacity building process. It is a series of manuals to train: disability service agencies in becoming “trauma responsive” to sexual violence; rape crisis centers in becoming “disability responsive” to survivors with disabilities; and women with disabilities in coping with and preventing sexual violence. This research evaluated the manual for women with disabilities only. Two rape crisis educators taught all lessons in a 15 week class at a Chicago disability services agency (DSA); ten women with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities participated in the classes. All class participants completed a pre test before the class began, measuring general knowledge about sexual violence and healthy/unhealthy relationships. Observations took place at all class lessons, guided by an observation protocol. Observation field notes were coded iteratively as well as post class, in order to answer the following overarching research questions: 1) How do the Illinois Imagines classes exemplify feminist and disability studies frameworks regarding sexual citizenship? 2) How effective are the Illinois Imagines classes in conveying knowledge about coping with and preventing sexual violence? 3) What are the perceptions and experiences of stakeholders regarding the Illinois Imagines classes? Participants completed quantitative post tests the week all lessons were completed. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted one month after the last lesson, with class participants, both educators, and two disability service agency support staff, using interview guides tailored to answering the research questions. Most of the Illinois Imagines class participants increased their post test scores with marginal significance on the general assessment, and significantly on knowledge of private body parts scores. The women reported overall satisfaction with the class, and articulated use of class knowledge in their lives, albeit with limitations. The rape crisis educators also expressed satisfaction with the class, as well as increased skills in modifying anti-sexual violence content and delivery for participants with intellectual disabilities. The support staff at the participating disability service agency reported the usefulness of having access to a new resource for clients coping with sexual violence. As a result of this research, the disability service agency and one of the rape crisis centers have since begun a collaboration to train agency staff. Class participants, both educators, and both support staff all expressed a need for general sexuality education in conjunction with anti-sexual violence interventions.