Christine McGuinness is a model and TV personality who recently received her adult autism diagnosis at 33 years old. Her diagnosis has helped her to understand herself more and relate to her three children, who have also been diagnosed with autism. However, Christine’s journey to understanding her autism has been a long and difficult one.
Christine McGuinness: Unmasking Her Autism
As a teenager growing up in Liverpool, Christine struggled to keep her focus in school and often acted out, leading to her leaving school without any qualifications at the age of 14. She also had difficulty with sensory issues, causing her to only eat beige foods, which led to an eating disorder that caused her periods to stop.
But the most difficult part of Christine’s life came when she was younger. She was sexually abused from age nine to 11, and then raped at 14. She describes the experience as “just awful” and often prayed every night that she wouldn’t wake up the next morning.
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Autism is a Spectrum: Different Experiences
Autism is a spectrum, meaning that people on the spectrum can have different experiences. Common characteristics of autism can include difficulty in communication and social interaction, anxiety in unfamiliar situations and doing the same thing repeatedly.
Women and girls can often be overlooked when it comes to an autism diagnosis, due to the historical perception that autism mostly affects men and boys, or because they’re good at “masking” or camouflaging their autistic traits. Christine says that masking can mean practising conversations before she has them or mimicking other people in a room just so she can fit in.
The Risk Factors Facing Autistic Women and Girls
A recent study has shown that an alarming amount of autistic women and girls are the victims of sexual abuse. According to the research, nearly 9 out of 10 autistic women have experienced sexual violence, and two-thirds of them were very young when it first occurred. Common risk factors for autistic women include difficulty communicating with non-autistic people, an inclination to please others, and difficulty accessing education on sex and consent. Christine McGuinness’ experience is unfortunately not uncommon.
‘This is Kind of Normal’: Sarah Douglas’ Story
Sarah Douglas, who was diagnosed as autistic when she was an adult, says that she was also raped as a teenager. She explains that autistic women often develop people-pleasing and masking behaviours, which can make them more vulnerable to exploitative relationships. Sarah clarifies that it’s not a person’s autism that causes them to be assaulted or raped, but rather the choice of the perpetrator.
Autistic Women and Girls at Risk of Sexual Abuse
Christine says that although the discussion of sexual assault among autistic women and girls is “frightening”, it’s a “very important one” and that awareness of this issue can lead to autistic women and girls feeling more empowered.
Christine McGuinness’s autism diagnosis has been an empowering experience for the model and TV personality. The diagnosis has provided her with greater self-knowledge and the courage to leave a relationship that was not fulfilling her needs. As a result, she is now a more complete and content version of herself.
Talking About Sexual Abuse and Assault
More than 125,000 people are currently waiting for an autism diagnosis in the UK, with such long waits being traumatic and leading to some people reaching “crisis point”. Therefore, the NHS and Government are looking to reduce delays and improve access to support, as well as providing tailored support, such as training for the police, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and counselling services.
‘A Little More Help’: The Need for Support
Christine says that she wishes she had been diagnosed earlier, as she thinks it would have given her more help. She hopes that her story will help to raise awareness of the issue of sexual abuse amongst autistic women and girls, as well as encouraging parents and carers to be more aware.
