---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most disabled people get used to a…"
description: "\"Most disabled people get used to a certain level of abuse.\" — Tanni Grey-Thompson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f85/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_abuse_most-disabled-people-get-used-to-a-certa_568321.jpg"
---

#  Most disabled people get used to a certain level of abuse.

![“Most disabled people get used to a certain level of abuse.” quote by Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f85/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_abuse_most-disabled-people-get-used-to-a-certa_568321.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f85/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_abuse_most-disabled-people-get-used-to-a-certa_568321.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f85/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_abuse_most-disabled-people-get-used-to-a-certa_568321.jpg)

> “Most disabled people get used to a certain level of abuse.”

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Disabled individuals often adapt to repeated mistreatment, normalizing it over time.

**In simple terms:** People accept abuse as normal.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and challenge abusive patterns.

Themes

disability abuse adaptation

Mood

empathetic concerned

Type

motivational inspirational

When to use this quote

- workplace
- family
- public spaces
- online interactions

Key Concepts

psychology social dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we support those who have normalized abuse?
- What signs indicate harmful treatment?

A Different Perspective

Abuse may be subtle and hard to identify.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Disability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disability/) [Disabled People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disabled-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [We think we know what it's all about; we think that disability is a really simple thing, and we don't expect to see disabled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/we-think-we-know-what-it-s-all-about-we-think-that-disability-is-a/)

[Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/)

> [Disabled people are the most entrepreneurial on the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-mordaunt/disabled-people-are-the-most-entrepreneurial-on-the-planet/)

[Penny Mordaunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-mordaunt/)

> [Disability simulation fails to capture the nuance and complexity of living in a disabled body. And it certainly fails to give a deep understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/disability-simulation-fails-to-capture-the-nuance-and-complexity-of/)

[Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/)

> [For all the challenges facing governments and their economies around the world equality for disabled people is not just a big part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-mordaunt/for-all-the-challenges-facing-governments-and-their-economies-around/)

[Penny Mordaunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-mordaunt/)

> [Disabled people used to be either the good person or the real evil villain. There's no way in between.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-jones/disabled-people-used-to-be-either-the-good-person-or-the-real-evil/)

[Rosie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-jones/)

> [When you hear the word 'disabled,' people immediately think about people who can't walk or talk or do everything that people take for granted.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teri-garr/when-you-hear-the-word-disabled-people-immediately-think-about-people/)

[Teri Garr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teri-garr/)

> [Of course there are people who, either because of sickness or disability, can't work, in the short term, and sometimes throughout their lives. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-reeves/of-course-there-are-people-who-either-because-of-sickness-or/)

[Rachel Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-reeves/)

> [“For lots of us, disabled people are not our teachers or our doctors or our manicurists. We're not real people. We are there to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/for-lots-of-us-disabled-people-are-not-our-teachers-or-our-doctors-or/)

[Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/)

> [You can take them in a wheelchair and put them in a pool, so they can move their arms and legs. In a pool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lalanne/you-can-take-them-in-a-wheelchair-and-put-them-in-a-pool-so-they-can/)

[Jack LaLanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lalanne/)

> [We’ve been sold this lie that disability makes you exceptional and it honestly doesn’t. … I want to live in a world where we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/we-ve-been-sold-this-lie-that-disability-makes-you-exceptional-and-it/)

[Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/)

> [I really think there's a difference between people born disabled and people who become disabled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-jones/i-really-think-there-s-a-difference-between-people-born-disabled-and/)

[Rosie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-jones/)

> [Disability is everywhere. It's just something that happens. It could happen to friends, family, loved ones. It could happen to you. I mean after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-mccausland/disability-is-everywhere-it-s-just-something-that-happens-it-could/)

[Chris McCausland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-mccausland/)

> [Disabled people need more invested in their education, housing, job training, transportation, assistive technology, and independent-living facilities. Governments earn back this investment - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/disabled-people-need-more-invested-in-their-education-housing-job/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

> [The world worries about disability more than disabled people do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/the-world-worries-about-disability-more-than-disabled-people-do/)

[Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/)

> [Disabled people are not homogenous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/disabled-people-are-not-homogenous/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

## More by Tanni Grey-Thompson

> [People come up to me and say 'I wouldn't want to live if I was like you.' And I say 'Actually, my life's pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/people-come-up-to-me-and-say-i-wouldn-t-want-to-live-if-i-was-like/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [Every disabled person's experience is different. As a wheelchair user I can experience something different from someone who is visually impaired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/every-disabled-person-s-experience-is-different-as-a-wheelchair-user/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [I'm too much of a coward for plastic surgery, but if I could wave a magic wand and change something, it would be my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-m-too-much-of-a-coward-for-plastic-surgery-but-if-i-could-wave-a/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [When I was competing we were training 15 times a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/when-i-was-competing-we-were-training-15-times-a-week/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [Twenty years in sport has given me a broad perspective on life, bringing me into contact with a variety of social issues, and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/twenty-years-in-sport-has-given-me-a-broad-perspective-on-life/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [When I started, nobody knew what the Paralympics were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/when-i-started-nobody-knew-what-the-paralympics-were/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [I remember trying to go to the cinema with my friends, so I must have been nine or 10, and being told I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-remember-trying-to-go-to-the-cinema-with-my-friends-so-i-must-have/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [Perhaps we need to redefine our idea of role models; they're not always elite athletes whose success might seem too distant or unachievable. Sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/perhaps-we-need-to-redefine-our-idea-of-role-models-they-re-not/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [Wheelchairs get lost or damaged during transit because some staff don't always understand how important the equipment is, or the cost of it. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/wheelchairs-get-lost-or-damaged-during-transit-because-some-staff-don/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [The reality for most athletes is that they have to deal with the wrath of the media only after they have performed, not in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/the-reality-for-most-athletes-is-that-they-have-to-deal-with-the/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [I have seen first hand the vital role that the physical activity sector - with its widespread workforce of coaches, youth workers, activity professionals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-have-seen-first-hand-the-vital-role-that-the-physical-activity/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [Despite hanging up my racing wheels over a decade ago, I still get a buzz when we enter an Olympic and Paralympic year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/despite-hanging-up-my-racing-wheels-over-a-decade-ago-i-still-get-a/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [I've lost track of the amount of time I've been spoken down to, literally patted on the head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-ve-lost-track-of-the-amount-of-time-i-ve-been-spoken-down-to/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [At 70, my late father, Peter, underwent a foot amputation after surgical complications. There were suggestions that at his age being in a wheelchair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/at-70-my-late-father-peter-underwent-a-foot-amputation-after-surgical/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [My father was an architect and I grew up knowing more about planning regulations and the constraints of old buildings than most children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/my-father-was-an-architect-and-i-grew-up-knowing-more-about-planning/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

[Explore all 100 Tanni Grey-Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

## More Abuse quotes

> [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/)

[Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/)

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/)

[Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/)

> [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/)

[Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/)

> [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/)

[Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/)

> [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/)

[Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/)

> [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/)

[Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/)

> [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/)

[Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/)

> [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/)

[Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/)

> [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/)

[Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/)

> [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/)

[Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/)

> [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/)

[Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/)

[Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Most disabled people get used to a certain level of abuse.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Tanni Grey-Thompson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/most-disabled-people-get-used-to-a-certain-level-of-abuse/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Abuse"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/most-disabled-people-get-used-to-a-certain-level-of-abuse/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f85/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_abuse_most-disabled-people-get-used-to-a-certa_568321.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f85/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_abuse_most-disabled-people-get-used-to-a-certa_568321.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f85/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_abuse_most-disabled-people-get-used-to-a-certa_568321.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Most disabled people get used to a certain level of abuse.” — Tanni Grey-Thompson",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Tanni Grey-Thompson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Most disabled people get used to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/most-disabled-people-get-used-to-a-certain-level-of-abuse/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/most-disabled-people-get-used-to-a-certain-level-of-abuse/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
