Curriculum on Abuse Prevention and Empowerment (CAPE)
Adults with disabilities face special risks related to abuse as well as special challenges in reporting abuse. To reduce the incidence of abuse, the World Institute on Disability created a comprehensive training curriculum in English and Spanish to educate people with disabilities, services providers, and family members about abuse awareness and prevention strategies.
CAPE explores:
- fundamental issues of abuse
- best-practices training approaches
- personal stories of resisting and recovering from abuse
CAPE resources are designed to support individuals with disability in living safely and independently. Topics covered in the curriculum include:
- developing self-respect
- asserting boundaries
- getting help
- disclosing abuse
- knowing one’s rights
- learning self-advocacy skills
- practicing safety planning
- building resilience.
As the website explains, “These are the ‘CAPE-abilities’ that can interrupt and prevent abusive behavior and help those recover who have experienced abuse. CAPE is unique in its focus on peer support in abuse prevention and its multimedia format, based on proven educational theory and practice. CAPE uses attractive, motivating multimedia educational resources relevant to daily life, such as movies, quizzes, learning games, comic-book images, and stories by and about people with disabilities.”
