Introduction
I want to be real with you. This isn’t just statistics. This isn’t just an academic discussion.
This is my life.
For people like me—neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, autistic, ADHD, dyslexic—the reality is brutal. The numbers say it. My experiences confirm it. And if you’re reading this and you relate, then maybe you already know too.
Sexual assault isn’t something that “just happens” to a few unlucky people. It’s something that was almost statistically inevitable for people like me.
If you’re neurodivergent, you’re 5-10 times more at risk.
If you’re LGBTQ+, you’re 2-3 times more at risk.
If you were a child with disabilities, you were 4-10 times more at risk.
Put all those factors together, and what chance did I ever have of making it through unscathed?
I didn’t.
And neither did so many others like me.
The Stacked Odds: Why the World Wasn’t Built to Protect Us
1. The Data That No One Talks About
Here’s what I found when I started digging into the numbers:
Neurodivergence and Sexual Assault Risk
- Neurodivergent children (autistic, ADHD, dyslexic) are up to 10 times more likely to be sexually assaulted. (Wikipedia – Sexual Abuse & Intellectual Disability)
- Autistic individuals have a 40-50% likelihood of experiencing sexual violence. (PMC)
- ADHD increases risk of sexual victimization by 3.7 times. (ADHD Evidence)
LGBTQ+ Identity and Sexual Assault Risk
- LGBTQ+ youth are 2-3 times more likely to experience sexual abuse. (The Trevor Project)
- Trans and non-binary individuals report nearly 50% experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime. (HRC Foundation)
The Overlapping Risks: Neurodivergent + LGBTQ+
Each of these risk factors independently increases the likelihood of sexual assault. When combined, the risks don’t just add up—they multiply.
This means neurodivergent LGBTQ+ people are statistically one of the highest-risk groups for sexual violence in the world.
2. Why We Were the Perfect Targets
The worst part? We never stood a chance.
🔸 We didn’t know what was happening. No one taught us the warning signs. No one explained consent in a way we could understand. Predators rely on confusion.
🔸 We were easy to isolate. A lot of neurodivergent kids grow up lonely, disconnected, desperate for belonging. That desperation makes you trust the wrong people.
🔸 We didn’t know how to say no. Maybe we froze. Maybe we masked. Maybe we just wanted to be accepted. They knew we wouldn’t fight back.
🔸 When we tried to tell, we weren’t believed. “Are you sure?” “Maybe you misunderstood.” “You’re overreacting.” We were too weird, too quiet, too unreliable to be taken seriously.
And when you combine neurodivergence, queerness, and childhood vulnerability?
You get someone predators see as an easy target.
I was an easy target.
3. How Likely Was It to Happen to Me? A 1-10 Scale
To make it unmistakably clear, here’s a risk score scale based on existing data:
Children
| Group | Risk Score (1-10) |
|---|---|
| Neurotypical (NT) Boys | 1-2/10 (~5% SA rate) |
| Neurotypical (NT) Girls | 3-4/10 (~15% SA rate) |
| Neurodivergent (ND) Boys (Autistic/ADHD) | 5/10 (~25% SA rate) |
| Neurodivergent (ND) Girls | 7-8/10 (~40-50% SA rate) |
| LGBTQ+ ND Boys & Girls | 8-10/10 (Higher risk, limited data) |
Adults
| Group | Risk Score (1-10) |
|---|---|
| Neurotypical (NT) Men | 1-2/10 (~1-6% SA rate) |
| Neurotypical (NT) Women | 3-4/10 (~25-30% SA rate) |
| Neurodivergent (ND) Men | 5-6/10 (~40-50% SA rate) |
| Neurodivergent (ND) Women | 7-9/10 (~60-80% SA rate) |
| LGBTQ+ ND Individuals | 9-10/10 (~Higher than all other groups) |
The numbers don’t lie. My risk was stacked beyond belief.
4. This Isn’t Just My Story. It’s Ours.
This is not about who had it worse.
This is about why we were all failed.
- ND women experience some of the highest SA rates in the world.
- LGBTQ+ survivors face sexual violence AND systemic oppression.
- Straight NT men experience SA too but are silenced by toxic masculinity.
This is about a system that fails anyone who doesn’t fit the norm.
Where Do We Go From Here?
If you’re reading this, and you’ve been through it too, I need you to know:
🖤 You are not alone.
🖤 It was never your fault.
🖤 The system was rigged against you, and you survived anyway.
1. We Talk About It.
- We stop pretending SA only happens to a certain type of person.
- We demand education that includes ND and LGBTQ+ survivors.
- We force the world to see what it’s ignored for too long.
2. We Create Better Safeguards.
- ND kids need to be explicitly taught about consent in ways they understand.
- LGBTQ+ kids need safe spaces to talk about their experiences.
- Survivors of all genders need support, not shame.
3. We Support Each Other.
- If you relate to this, share it.
- If you know a survivor, believe them.
- If you’ve been carrying this in silence, you matter.
Final Thoughts: Why I’m Speaking Now
I won’t be silent anymore.
If this article resonated with you, share it. Speak up. Let’s make this known. Because we deserved better. And the next generation deserves better than we had.