To the Editor:

A central premise of our community is that it’s open to everyone. We have the right to engage with our political structure, education systems, public services, and other programs that facilitate and strengthen community life.

However, individuals with disabilities often find they are cut off from these services, overlooked, or unable to access the help they need.

Reaching people with disabilities is all the more important because of the scope of those affected. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that nearly 1 in 5 adults has a physical, mental, or cognitive disability, and they are three times as likely to experience a violent crime as individuals without disabilities.

People with disabilities are at higher risk of victimization because they may be dependent on another person to meet critical needs. Caregivers – such as relatives, significant others, neighbors, or professional aids – may control access to medication, transportation, finances, or more distant loved ones.

Victims may be unable to report a crime without their caregiver’s assistance or they may be anxious about who will care for them if they report their caregiver’s maltreatment. If they do successfully reach out for services, they may face difficulty getting the accommodations they need due to a service provider’s lack of understanding for funding.

April 2nd – 8th is National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. It is a time to celebrate progress achieved, raise awareness of victims’ rights and services, and stand with our families, neighbors, friends and colleagues whose lives have been forever altered by crime.

On April 3, the SUNY Canton Center for Diversity & Inclusion, David Sullivan St. Lawrence County Law Enforcement Academy, Niagara University and Renewal House are hosting a Disability Awareness Training. The training will be held at the Kingston Theater of the Miller Campus Center at SUNY Canton. The morning session, 9 a.m. until noon, is open for the community to attend.

For more information and to register, please go to www.canton.edu/disability.

Be the difference – Speak up. Listen. Empower. Respond. React. Reach out. This National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we resolve to build stronger responses in our communities that ensure all victims are treated with compassion and respect and receive the justice they deserve. We all have a role!

Ilene J Burke

Canton Renewal House, executive director