Recent studies show that 9 in 10 Autistic women have been sexually victimised in their lives. I am one of them. There needs to be more awareness around the experience of trauma in neurodivergent people.

In this presentation, I explore the impact of interoceptive experiences (how our bodies feel and interpret internal cues and emotions) being invalidated in Autistic individuals. This invalidation can lead to a lack of trust in their own body cues and the implementation of complex masking strategies, such as people-pleasing. Consequently, these adaptations increase the vulnerability of Autistic people to experience trauma.

I will share my personal experience, detailing the process through which I 'learnt' not to listen to my own body and sought external validation for my experiences. During this time, I was repeatedly victimised without recognising it. To cope, I created a part of myself that could perform these tasks, believing that this was necessary to stay safe.

Given these experiences, it is essential that neurodivergent children are supported in developing their interoceptive awareness. Their feelings and sensations need to be validated to create a strong sense of identity and to develop their ability to self-advocate.

This presentation includes lived experiences of neurodivergence and trauma, illustrating why neurodivergence may contribute to the vulnerability of trauma survivors. Furthermore, it highlights how individuals may not be aware of their own trauma due to the intricate and adaptive nature of dissociation and unconscious masking.