CW: Abuse
The Lancaster County Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Office reported that a New Holland man charged with raping a mentally disabled victim waived his preliminary hearing.
According to New Holland Borough Police, the investigation began on September 26, 2023, when the victim complained that Matthew Souden, 42, was inappropriately touching and raping them. On Oct. 10, detectives interviewed Souden, who indicated that the victim moved in with him in 2014 and reportedly acknowledged to the abuse.Police did not specify how long Souden had abused his victim.
In Lancaster County Court, Souden is charged with two felonies of rape of a person with a mental disability and three counts of indecent assault without consent. He is being held in Lancaster County Prison on $750,000 bond and will be arraigned on January 26.
Unfortunately, disabled people are more more likely to be sexually abused or assaulted. Sexual assault against disabled individuals is seven times as likely than against non-disabled people. According to World Bank Group research, girls and women with disabilities are ten times more likely to become victims of violence than women and girls without disabilities worldwide.
According to the 2008 National Crime Victim Survey, disabled people face higher rates of violence than those without disabilities. Unfortunately, the survey also showed that the rate of victimization is twice high among those with disabilities
Disabled people have the right to live free from abuse. There is no justification for abusing, neglecting, or killing disabled people . Everyone should be able to live a life free of abuse and neglect.
Sources:
Johnson , Kayleigh. “New Holland Man Allegedly Admitted to Abusing Person with Mental disability”. Fox 43, Tenga Inc, 4 Jan. 2024, http://www.fox43.com/amp/article/news/crime/new-holland-matthew-souden-rape-mental-disability/521-58bf5698-ec32-43e8-a95a-9f150ce98e79.
Koistinen, Mari, et al. “Five Facts to Know about Violence against Women and Girls with Disabilities.” The World Bank , The World Bank Group, 5 Dec. 2019, https://blogs.worldbank.org/sustainablecities/five-facts-know-about-violence-against-women-and-girls-disabilities.
Rand, Michael, and Erika Harrell. “Crime against people with disabilities, 2008.” (2010).