Recent research indicates that women with disabilities are at a high risk for emotional, sexual, and physical assault. Many women with disabilities are dependent on caregivers, either a spouse, other family members, or paid assistants, for essential personal services. The stress placed on these caregivers can lead to abuse. This study explored risk factors for violence among a sample of 177 adult women over the age of 18 with physical disabilities. The study addressed the questions of what is the prevalence of violence among a sample of physically disabled women, what risk factors for violence exists among these women, and what types of actions do women with physical disabilities engage in to escape abusive situations? The findings reflect that women with physical disabilities are at high risk for abuse, the elevated risk may be correlated to type of disability, and prevention efforts need to be targeted to young women with physical disabilities. In summation, the data indicate that the context of abuse among women with a disability has both clear similarities and distinctive features when compared with women without disability. Isolation and limited economic resources appear to place all women at increased risk for experiencing abuse. References