'I felt like I deserved it because I was autistic': Understanding the impact of interpersonal victimisation in the lives of autistic people.

This study interviewed 102 autistic people about being hurt by people they know (like friends or family). Many autistic people thought this treatment was normal because it happened so often. To stay safe, they hid parts of themselves, which was very tiring. It was hard to get help, and professionals often didn't understand autism well. Participants wanted more support groups run by autistic people and better autism education for helpers.

This qualitative study examined the impact of interpersonal victimisation on 102 autistic adults through in-depth interviews. Using thematic analysis, researchers identified that autistic people often normalise being hurt by known individuals due to repeated experiences. Key themes included the adoption of masking behaviours as a protective mechanism, leading to exhaustion; delayed recognition that victimisation was wrong; difficulties accessing help; and negative experiences with uninformed professionals. Participants highlighted the need for autistic-led support groups and improved autism education for professionals.

The study provides important insights into the psychological impact of victimisation and barriers to help-seeking among autistic individuals.

Findings highlight need for trauma-informed care approaches, professional autism education, and autistic-led support services. Clinicians should be aware of normalisation patterns and masking-related exhaustion when working with autistic clients who may have experienced interpersonal victimisation.

Single qualitative study with unclear recruitment method and sample characteristics. No comparison group. Potential recall bias in self-reported victimisation experiences. Generalisability may be limited by sample demographics and study design.

Research suggests that autistic people are more likely to be hurt by someone they know (e.g. a friend or a family member) compared to non-autistic people. In this study, we wanted to know how being hurt by someone you know affects autistic people, and what might help them recover. In total, 102 autistic people took part in an interview, where we asked questions like how being hurt by people they know had made them feel and whether anyone they had asked for help had done a good job of supporting them. We analysed what they had said using thematic analysis, which involved reading what everyone said and looking for common themes.

Our findings showed that a lot of autistic people think it is normal to be hurt by people you know because it has happened to them so much. This makes many autistic people feel like they need to mask parts of themselves to stay safe, but this also makes them really exhausted. It took some people a long time to realise what had happened to them was wrong, and it was hard to ask for help. People who did ask for help often had bad experiences with professionals (e.g. police) who did not know much about autistic people.

They said better support would come from creating more autistic-run support groups and educating people about autism. These findings are important for working out how to help people who have been hurt by people they know.