Welcome to the Disability Without Abuse Project
Nora Baladerian, Ph.D.
Co-Founder and Co-Director
Marc Dubin, Esq., Co-Founder and Co-Director
Information, Resources, and Expertise On Disability and Abuse
Nora Baladerian, Ph.D.
About The Launch of Our New Project - Disability Without Abuse
For many decades Dr. Nora Baladerian has been a leader and trailblazer in the fight against abuse of persons with disabilities.
For several years, Dr. Baladerian owned and operated the Disability and Abuse Project, a project focused on abuse of people with developmental disabilities and intellectual disabilities, and shared her work on the website of the Spectrum Institute. In June of 2020, Dr. Baladerian ended her Project's affiliation with Spectrum Institute, and terminated the Disability and Abuse Project entirely.The Disability Without Abuse Project has no affiliation in any way with the Spectrum Institute.
On July 4th, 2020 - Independence Day - we launched our new project - the Disability Without Abuse Project
The Disability Without Abuse Project will take this as an opportunity to broaden our resources, and to broaden our focus.
We will continue to develop and utilize our listservs and Advisory Board. If you wish to apply to be on our Advisory Board, send your resume and contact information, along with a brief bio, to Marc Dubin at .
The Disability Without Abuse Project is a collaborative effort between Dr. Nora Baladerian, Ph.D. and Marc Dubin, Esq.
Marc Dubin formerly served as a Senior Trial Attorney at the Justice Department, in the Civil Rights Division, where he was responsible for nationwide enforcement of the ADA on behalf of the United States. He now serves as CEO of ADA Expertise Consulting, LLC, and testifies as an expert in the ADA nationwide. (www.ADAexpertise.com)
A former prosecutor, he also founded and serves as CEO of CAVNET (Communities Against Violence Network), an international victims' rights organization focusing on violence against women. Marc founded CAVNET in 1995, and it has been a recipient of a Ms. Foundation for Women grant and a partner with Lifetime Television's End Violence Against Women Campaign. CAVNET serves to bring together experts and advocates from all over the world, addressing violence against women, human rights, suicide, school violence, gun violence, bullying, child abuse, elder abuse, and crime victims with disabilities.
“CAVNET is a network we dream of modeling for our local community. A must-have tool for those having any kind of contact with domestic violence victims or their families.” -- Fairbanks, Alaska
He also formerly served as Special Counsel to the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) at the Justice Department.
Our listservs and other work will be far more expansive, no longer focusing only on individuals with developmental disabilities and intellectual disabilities.
We will be expanding our focus to include victimization and abuse issues regarding persons with other disabilities as well, including members of the Deaf community. We welcome your experiences, insights, and participation.
Periodically, we will hold zoom meetings with members of our Advisory Board, and you will have an opportunity to talk with them directly, ask them questions, and learn of their work. Our Advisory Board members come from all over the United States, and provide us with valuable guidance and insights.
Visitors will also be able to access the information posted to the listservs on the web, without joining the listservs - However, those who subscribe to the listservs will be able to get the information emailed directly to them, rather than having to view the postings only on the web.
To view the postings on the Listservs without subscribing, please see our listing of subgroups and their descriptions.
Whether you join as a member or not, Listserv postings will be available for viewing on the web. There is no charge to join or view our materials.
You may read posts and/or join, by filling out our form.
Please check back to see our progress, and join our listservs to get involved.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel welcome to contact us.
Please note that we do not provide legal advice or therapy or referrals to therapists or attorneys through this site or through our listserv. Use of this website and our Listserv does not create an attorney -client relationship nor does it create a therapist - patient relationship.
NBC News Article: "Disabled, Black and Searching for Justice" July 3, 2020
Marc Dubin, Esq., serves as a consultant to NBC News in this article, and is quoted in the article.
"...Under the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, a disabled person has the right to effective communication and reasonable modifications of police policy during encounters with law enforcement when necessary. In practice, effective communication and modifications aren't always provided, said Marc Dubin, a former lawyer for the Justice Department who is CEO of ADA Expertise Consulting, which helps businesses and government agencies ensure that they comply with the ADA...."
Learn About Crime Victims With Disabilities And Work With Us To Educate Others
For over 40 years, Nora Baladerian, Ph.D. has been recognized as a leading authority on the subject of disability and abuse, worldwide. She has served as a consultant to the Justice Department on disability and abuse, and has served as a consultant on this subject to a variety of agencies and groups, including The Vera Institute of Justice and NAPSA, among others.
She has also provided training on this subject to conferences around the world, including Canada, Spain, Korea, Holland, and elsewhere. She has also provided training at conferences and to organizations all over the United States and throughout Europe.
Dr. Baladerian provides counseling services to clients, and is based in Los Angeles. She is a widely sought-after speaker and trainer, and is available for presentations, conferences, and consultations worldwide. She can be reached at or at 310-473-6768
We serve as a resource for people seeking information about the abuse of people with disabilities.
Please join our listserv to stay better informed.
Abuse of people with disabilities is far-ranging, and includes abuse by caregivers, sexual abuse and rape, domestic violence, child abuse, financial abuse, emotional abuse,and elder abuse, among others. The rate of abuse against people with disabilities is much higher than the rate of abuse against people who do not have disabilities, and judges, lawyers, law enforcement, psychologists, social workers, media, and others all need much more additional specialized training about the abuse of people with disabilities. This Project is an effort to address that need.