There are many steps to be taken to reduce the risk of sexual violence for women and girls with intellectual disabilities. The first one is closing institutions.
Women and girls with intellectual disabilities experience violence at much higher rates than almost any other group. Especially sexual violence.
When forced to live in institutions, the risk of experiencing sexual violence is even higher. This is because the residents’ right to decide is taken away and they are made dependent on caregivers. Institutionalisation increases vulnerability, and decreases the (already extremely slim chances) to report and stop sexual violence from happening.
Self-advocate Elisabeta Moldovan spoke about her experience living in an institution in Romania and said: “Sexual violence took place frequently. There were staff members: guards, teachers, doctors who sexually abused residents. But it also happened between residents. When a woman got pregnant, and delivered a baby, the baby was taken away from the mother and brought to an orphanage.”
From :
- the sexual violence itself,
- to the abuse of power when a person’s right to decide is taken away,
- to the lack of accountability and consequences for the perpetrators,
- to the many ways sexual violence occurs,
- to a mother’s child being taken from her,
- to that same child being institutionalised, exposed to the same risks, the same vicious cycle…
There is so much abuse, so much trauma, so much pain to fathom, when reading (and writing) this.
There are many steps to be taken to reduce the risk of sexual violence for women and girls with intellectual disabilities.
The first one is closing institutions.
Institutions are hubs of violence, of abuse, and of silencing voices. They are inexcusable remains of a cruel and inhumane past. But in fact, they are the cruel and inhumane present reality for over 800 000 people with intellectual disabilities in Europe.
They must go.
Inclusion Europe’s ‘Life after violence’ report talks about the violence women and girls with intellectual disabilities face when forced to live in institutions specifically. I also wrote about it in Inclusion Europe’s new report on Gender (in)equality of women and girls with intellectual disabilities in Europe. I wholeheartedly recommend everyone to read these reports.
Gender (in)equality of women and girls with intellectual disabilities in Europe
Housing for people with intellectual disabilities: Issues, ideas, practices
Read more from Helena Lambsdorff.