Issues for disabled victims
THE leader of a sexual assault support service in Tasmania’s north has told a Royal Commission of the barriers disabled women face in disclosing sexual violence.
Laurel House chief executive Kathryn Fordyce appeared on Wednesday at a virtual hearing of the Disability Royal Commission, which is focusing on Tasmania.
The two-day hearing includes input from expert witnesses and disability advocates about why 40 per cent of women with disability have experienced physical violence and are twice as likely to experience sexual violence as women without disabilities.
Ms Fordyce said the lack of an opportunity to disclose and communication were just some of the issues faced by women in such a position.
“There are lots of barriers for women and girls with disabilities in disclosing sexual violence and one of them is about having established and trusted relationships with a person such that they are able to communicate with them about the sexual assault that they’ve experienced,’’ Ms Fordyce said.
“But also it’s about having time with that trusted person away from their abuser.
“We know all too often that abuse happens from family members or from other trusted people within a family or within service providers.
“We also know that there is communication barriers and so a trusted person needs to be able to understand the communication approach or the communication style of the person with a disability ...”
Ms Fordyce said it was also important that those with a disability had relationships with trusted people they could confide in.
“I think many women with disabilities have long histories of being disempowered or ignored or not listened to in relation to kind of every aspect of their lives as a result of ableist and sexist attitudes as well as kind of repeated and systematic failures acknowledging their rights and autonomy,’’ she said.
“We know that in addition to those barriers, we know that all women, including those with disabilities, witness examples in the media where women have disclosed sexual violence and they’re not believed.
“Their character is disrespected so it’s not surprising then that people with disabilities would find the disclosure process really difficult that they are concerned that they won’t be believed.”
The virtual hearing of the Disability Royal Commission continues on Thursday, while a physical hearing will occur in Hobart early next year where women and girls with disability will have the opportunity to share their personal experiences.
The hearing is also examining data that shows of the LGBTQIA+ people who reported harassment or violence in the past 12 months, 46 per cent had a disability.
It is also looking into the issue that First Nations women are 34 times more likely than non-Indigenous women to be hospitalised because of family and domestic violence.