These scenes show difficult situations in the lives of people with disabilities when interacting with people who help them, including spouses, family members, paid assistants, and service providers. Some scenes show disabled people being mistreated, while others show disabled people taking action to confront or correct mistreatment.

Here are some sample scenes:
• A disabled man’s resistance to firing an abusive attendant;
• A woman’s fear of being labeled a “trouble-maker” for reporting an incompetent attendant;
• A family member intruding into a disabled man’s direction of his attendant;
• A woman resists the advances of a man who wants to force her to do things against her will;
• A mother tries to limit her daughter's social activities.


For teachers: These scenes help disabled people put into words what they may have experienced, but may not have disclosed. This helps people consider and plan different ways to address difficulties. In the CAPE curriculum, a teaching guide will explain several teaching options for individuals or groups to explore these scenes for learning and safety planning.

For disabled people: These scenes help you put into words what you might feel, but don’t get to talk about. This can help you better plan to handle difficulties. Here are some questions:

• Can you imagine yourself in this situation?
• What would you like to tell the disabled person in the scene, if you could?
• If this happened to you, would you be afraid to tell someone?
• Would you feel like it was your fault?
• What could change the situation?
• Who could you talk to?

Talk to someone you trust about these questions. If you have problems like these, you can take a quiz to help diagnose the extent of your problems and suggest appropriate resources to help solve them.  We also have links to other websites working on these same issues and who can help you solve problems with abusive situations.