In Australia, a sobering reality persists beneath the surface of daily life: women with disability face disproportionately high rates of violence, yet their plight often remains overlooked in public discourse and policy.
According to a report by Our Watch and Women with Disabilities Victoria, 65 per cent of women with disability have experienced at least one incident of violence since the age of 15 and are twice as likely as women without disability to experience sexual violence.
In a bid to combat these disturbing facts, the organisations have released a Framework for Action designed to inform and influence governments and policy makers.
Women with Disabilities Victoria CEO Nadia Mattiazzo said the report drew on lived experience from women with disability in the hope action could be taken to prevent violence before it occurred.
“These are evidence-based resources that show prevention workers, disability professionals and the general public how easy it is to start and the real, practical work that will make a difference in this crisis of violence against women and girls with disabilities,” she said.
“Disability is often not discussed and practical steps that improve accessibility and equity are not well understood. These resources show that simple actions have a great impact.”
Our Watch CEO Patty Kinnersly said the new resources would help create a safer environment for women with disabilities and ensure they are valued, included and treated with respect.
“We know that violence and disrespect is a common experience for women with disabilities,” she said.
“This violence is driven by sexism and ableism as well as other intersecting forms of discrimination, but it is preventable.
“The resources and framework build on decades of research. They have been co-designed by prevention and disability sector leaders together with women with lived experience.”
The resources include video and audio stories from women with lived experience. They explain the different kinds of inequality and barriers that women with disability face and provide advice on how services and staff can be allies and help create meaningful change.
“The framework encourages governments to take a number of actions such as setting targets for women with disabilities on boards and in the public service and providing professional development for prevention workers and those providing services to women with disabilities,” Kinnersly said.
Melba CEO Hayley Dean applauded the initiative and said Melba would embed the Framework into its practices.
“This is an important issue and we will continue to have conversations with the people we support around violence and ensure they are aware of what help is available as well as the preventative measures they can adopt,” she said.
In May, the federal Minister for Women, Katy Gallagher, said violence against women and children was a “national crisis”.
“Rates of intimate partner violence remain at epidemic proportions in Australia with a quarter of women having experienced this in their lifetime,” she said.
If you have experienced violence as a person with disability, help is available. To get free counselling 24/7 for domestic, family or sexual violence, visit the 1800Respect website, call 1800 737 732 or text 0458 737 732.
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