select search filters
briefings
roundups & rapid reactions
Fiona fox's blog
Scientists comment on findings of the Southport stabbings inquiry that finds Rudakubana’s conduct was wrongly attributed to autism.
Dr Monique Botha, Associate Professor in Social and Developmental Psychology, Durham University, said:
“The Southport attack is a devastating tragedy, and the loss of those children must remain at the centre of how this is understood. The inquiry makes clear that autism does not explain or cause violent behaviour. What failed here was not recognition of risk, but the response to it. Repeated and serious warning signs were present, yet professionals too often interpreted them through a lens of autism that minimised or excused what was happening.
“This reflects a broader problem: when autism is misunderstood as inherently linked to unpredictability, aggression, violence, or misogyny, it can distort decision-making. In this case, harmful and superficial ideas about autism appear to have obscured escalating violence, leading agencies to downgrade incidents or treat them as safeguarding issues rather than indicators of serious harm. That misinterpretation did not protect anyone, it delayed intervention causing unimaginable harm to a whole community of people.
“It is essential to be clear that autistic people are far more likely to be victims of harm than perpetrators. Using autism to explain violence not only misrepresents autistic individuals but also undermines effective safeguarding by diverting attention away from actual risk factors and behaviours which warrant joined up accountable intervention. The inquiry highlights the need for services to move beyond reductive assumptions and to respond to risk based on evidence, coordination, and accountability regardless of whether a perpetrator is autistic or not.”
https://www.southport.public-inquiry.uk/
Declared interests
Dr Monique Botha: No conflicts of interest