'All His Sexless Patients': Persons with Mental Disabilities and the Competence to Have Sex

Perlin, Michael L.; Lynch, Alison J.

doi:10.2139/ssrn.1908733

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…It was found that the term "homophobia" was used in 58 products belonging to the field of disability study. Among them, 5 are books and book chapters (HALDEMAN, 2001;MAIL and LEAR, 2006;MCRUER, 2006a, b;TREMAIN, 1996), 52 are journal papers (ABBOTT and HOWARTH, 2007;BAROUNIS, 2009;BLYTH and CARSON, 2007;BURNS and DAVIES, 2011;CAMBRIDGE, 1999;CORKER, 2001;DUKE, 2011;ELMAN, 2012;ERICKSON, 2007;FRALEY, MONA, and THEODORE, 2007;GRIEVE et al, 2009;GROSSMAN, D'AUGELLI, and DRAGOWSKI, 2007;HAMILTON, 2009;HANJORGIRIS, RATH, and O'NEILL, 2004;HASH and NETTING, 2009;HELLMAN and KLEIN, 2004;HENRY, FUERTH, and FIGLIOZZI, 2010;HIGGINS, 2010;HINGSBURGER and TOUGH, 2002;HINRICHS et al, 2010;HUNT et al, 2006;JOHNSON et al, 2005;KAFER, 2003;LANGLEY, 2001;LEBLANC et al, 2001;LIPTON, 2004;LUCKSTED, 2004;MCCLELLAND et al, 2012;MORGAN et al, 2011;O'TOOLE, Corbett J. and BROWN, 2002;O'TOOLE, Corbett Joan and DOE, 2002;PARKES, 2006;PEATE, 2008;PERLIN, Michael L, 2013;PERLIN, Michael L., 2011;ROBERTSON, 2003;SHAKESPEARE, 1999a, b;…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Homophobia and Disability: Literature Review

Meloni¹,

Federici²,

Mele³

2014

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We conducted a literature review of 58 studies on homophobia and LGBT disabled people published between 1994 and 2013 that reported a complex and conflictual relationship among different cultures. These are the expression of three social communities: (i) the LGBT community, (ii) the disabled community, and (iii) the mainstream society (mainly identified as the heterosexual and able-bodied community). The condition of exclusion that both disabled and LGBT people endure is rooted in two socially shared myths: compulsory ablebodiedness and compulsory heterosexuality. Both of them are the basis of homophobic prejudice. However, in order to neutralize the socio-cultural barriers, responses produced by the two minority communities, i.e., the LGBT and disabled people, are often in conflict with each other making their spaces inhospitable to LGBT disabled people.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Homophobia and Disability: Literature Review

Meloni¹,

Federici²,

Mele³

2014

PsycEXTRA Dataset

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“…[10] Perlin and Lynch mentioned that "individuals with mental health disabilities also have the same need as others to have intimate relationships, and denying or undermines their rights for sexuality threatens their psychological well-being". [11] Furthermore, there is evidence that relationship well-being and sexuality can resolve psychological problems. [12] This patient became pregnant as a consequence of a sexual relationship with her long-term partner and it is a common complication among such victims.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual Rights of the Psychiatric Patients, Consenting Capacity and Contradiction with Local and National Policies and the Law of Sri Lanka: A Case Report

Sathasivam

Vidanapathirana

2021

Medico-Legal J SL

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Legally, consensual sexual relationships between adults are a right in our society. However, sexual activity is often prohibited by-laws for psychiatric patients in Sri Lanka. Unless medically contraindicated, all people, whether competent or incompetent or, single or married, should have the right to engage in consensual sexual activities. A 32-year-old female who was on regular treatment and follow-up in the clinic for fifteen years for epilepsy and psychosis was admitted to a tertiary care hospital with a sudden loss of consciousness following severe vomiting. Her medical findings confirmed a 23 weeks intrauterine live foetus. She lived in a separate home for the last three years and had consensual sexual intercourse with her sound-mind long-term partner for one year. Medico-legal investigations excluded the physical forces or donations as contributory factors to request consent for sex, and the circumstantial evidence confirmed that the patient had consented sex. However, the psychiatrist's opinion was that she had severe mental retardation and had no capacity to give consent for sex. According to the law, after the clinical forensic examination, the assailant was arrested and remanded. The sexual rights of the psychiatric patients in Sri Lanka are discriminatory and there is the legal vulnerability of partners who engaged in sex with psychiatric patients. Therefore, local and national policies should be created to provide sexual and reproductive health, education, counselling, and family planning among psychiatric patients. Similar to other countries, the laws of Sri Lanka should be amended with the help of medical professionals and other stakeholders.

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“…This theme demonstrates the staff members' apprehension about pornography due to the concerns that it could make people worse. However, it also The fourth theme of 'patients are people' looks at staff members' ability to recognise that patients have similar needs to anyone else with regard to intimate relationships (Perlin & Lynch, 2014). The theme puts real emphasis on the movement at present in secure hospitals to reduce restrictive practices and take a more individualised approach to patient care.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, mental health services have seen a shift in their approach regarding the need to reduce restrictive practices and blanket rules (Department of Health, 2014). Thus, it may be difficult to strike a balance when it comes the same needs for intimate relationships as everyone else, thus denying access to pornography can be seen as denying an expression of their sexuality (Perlin & Lynch, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring pornography use in secure hospitals: a qualitative analysis

Mellor

Duff

2019

JFP

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Purpose This research paper reports findings from a qualitative analysis which explored pornography use in secure hospitals. The purpose of this paper is to investigate what attitudes staff working in secure hospital have towards patients having access to pornography, how they make decisions regarding access to pornography and what factors they take into account during this process. This research is an extension of a prior quantitative research study (Mellor and Duff, 2019). Design/methodology/approach The study utilised a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews to explore professionals’ attitudes towards pornography use in a secure hospital. The sample comprised of six volunteers who had taken part in a previous research study (Mellor and Duff, 2019) requesting to discuss the topic area further. As such this research study was developed. Thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006) was used to analyse the qualitative data and the Attitudes towards Pornography Scale (Evans-DeCicco and Cowan, 2001) was used to collect demographic information. Findings Six themes were identified from the transcripts. The first theme explores staff members’ attitudes towards pornography. The second relates to the use of boundaries and monitoring of pornography. The third theme looks at the potential impact that pornography could have on the patient, either positive or negative. The fourth theme explores the extent to which patients are still considered as human beings, whereas the fifth theme explores the vulnerabilities that may make patients more at risk of being negatively influenced by pornography. The final theme looks at decision making regarding access to pornography. Practical implications The research offers an insight into how pornography within secure hospitals is managed. The research also provides an exploration into multi-disciplinary team decision making with regard to pornographic material and notes the general openness of staff towards patients having access to pornography. Originality/value The findings have important messages for services with regard to policy making. The findings are also relevant for understanding how pornography is managed with in secure hospitals.

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'All His Sexless Patients': Persons with Mental Disabilities and the Competence to Have Sex

Cited by 5 publications

References 4 publications

Homophobia and Disability: Literature Review

Homophobia and Disability: Literature Review

Sexual Rights of the Psychiatric Patients, Consenting Capacity and Contradiction with Local and National Policies and the Law of Sri Lanka: A Case Report

Exploring pornography use in secure hospitals: a qualitative analysis

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