Mind the gap: the extent of violence against women with disabilities in Australia

Abstract

A comprehensive national response to violence against women with disabilities is long overdue in Australia. Work to date suggests that the issue is endemic yet largely invisible. Responses at the national level are hampered by the lack of information regarding violence against women with disabilities due to under-reporting and inadequate capture of the prevalence of this violence. This article explores approaches to collecting data regarding violence against women with disabilities in Australia and adds to the limited body of knowledge about the prevalence of violence for these women through interrogation of available data. Further analysis of the 2012 Personal Safety Survey data indicates that among women with disabilities aged under 50, 62 per cent have experienced violence since the age of 15, and women with disabilities had experienced three times the rate of sexual violence in the past 12 months compared to those without disabilities. These findings still do not represent the full extent of violence against women with disabilities, since the Personal Safety Survey samples only women who reside in private dwellings and excludes those living in disability care settings. Insight is offered as to what is needed to comprehensively capture the required data and the implications for policy.

Barriers and facilitators in supporting people with intellectual disability to report sexual violence: perspectives of Australian disability and mainstream support providers

“…In recent years, the work of journalists, disability activists and researchers has evidenced an epidemic of abuse, violence and neglect of people with disability both internationally (Beadle-Brown et al , 2010; Breiding and Armour, 2015; Mikton and Shakespeare, 2014; Marsland et al , 2015) and in Australia (Family and Community Development Committee, 2016; Deam and Mcarthy, 2015). Research indicates higher rates of violence among the disability community compared to the general population (Jones et al , 2012; Krnjacki et al , 2016; Dowse et al , 2016; Attard and Price-Kelly, 2010). Further to this, violence is predominantly a gendered issue disproportionately affecting women with disability (Dowse et al , 2016).…”

The economic case for improving legal outcomes for accused persons with cognitive disability: an Australian study

“…The alleged victim was a fellow resident at the disability residential facility, meaning she is likely to have a cognitive disability. Women with cognitive disabilities are at a significantly increased risk of being victims of sexual violence, including in disability service settings, often with poor system responses and legal outcomes (Dowse et al ., 2016).…”

“…21 David's regular police contact may continue if he is acquitted, particularly if the underlying factors contributing to his contact with the criminal justice system are not addressed and there is no specialist disability support in place (Baldry et al, 2015;Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service Inc., 2012;Intellectual Disability Rights Service, 2008). violence, including in disability service settings, often with poor system responses and legal outcomes (Dowse et al, 2016).…”

Physical violence and violent threats reported by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with a disability: cross sectional evidence from a nationally representative survey

“…As violence is a relatively rare event, previous studies have adopted relatively parsimonious models with few controls included. For example, in two recent Australian studies of violence and disability in the non-Indigenous population, controls are included for age and sex [ 30 , 31 ]. In a UK study, adjustments are made for age and gender as well as socio-economic disadvantage and neighbourhood quality [ 32 ].…”