Presenter: Susan Kahan, MA, LCPC, University of Illinois at Chicago, Developmental Disabilities Family Clinic, Institute on Disability and Human Development

Everyone desires to love and be loved. Myths and misconceptions about people with disabilities often create barriers to developing
healthy relationships. This session will explore the facts and myths around relationships and sexuality for people with disabilities. We will
discuss the importance of laying the foundation for healthy relations early on through social skills and sexuality education. Resources and
strategies for teaching healthy sexuality will be presented. In addition, we will discuss risk factors, warning signs, and prevention strategies
for sexual abuse and commercial sexual exploitation (trafficking) of individuals with disabilities. The goal of this presentation is to
increase awareness around the need to provide individuals with proper information in order to promote healthy relationships and to recognize and avoid unhealthy and unsafe relationships.