I wonder if autistic girls and young women are more adept at recognising the early signs of a potentially abusive relationship with a partner?

Speaker(s):

Chris Magill, University of Brighton

Abstract:

My wondering should be selected because there are intersections of invisibility around autistic young people who experience, or are at risk of experiencing, intimate partner violence. Abusive behaviour between adolescents in intimate relationships remains relatively unseen. This is due, in part, to a persistent, unfounded assumption that domestic abuse is something that only occurs between adults. Intimate partner abuse is an under-researched experience in autistic people’s lives. However, there is emerging evidence suggesting autistic people may be more likely to have been victimized than non-autistic people. Alongside these intersecting invisibilities, this wondering is timely. There is growing recognition of autism in girls, and their experiences in relation to, for example, missed or late diagnosis, due to differences in presentation. There is also increasing concern about high profile, on-line influencers (‘manfluencers’) pushing harmful masculinist ideologies towards the younger generation and how this is impacting on attitudes and behaviour towards young women and girls. On an official level, the UK Parliament has recently proposed a special inquiry committee to carry out post-legislative scrutiny of the Autism Act 2009. The committee is due to conclude in November 2025.