Thursday 29 November
Monday 25 November marked the start of the United Nation’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
As part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, PWDA are highlighting the need for urgent action to address violence against women with disability.
Women with disability are 40 per cent more likely to experience domestic and family violence than women without disability. Nearly two in three women with disability in Australia will experience violence at some point in their lifetime.
Our Building Access Report, released in 2023, was created following in-depth interviews with women and non-binary people who have lived experience of disability and domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV). The report revealed 71 per cent of women with disability have not felt welcome when accessing domestic and family violence services.
Highlighting as we advocate for the rights and safety of women with disability, it’s crucial that services evolve in how they operate to support them so there’s no wrong door.
When advocating for the rights and safety of women, the voices of women with disability need to be at the centre of any reform efforts, to ensure services are accessible to them.
The intersection of disability and gender-based violence
A 2016 Personal Safety Survey showed women with disability were twice as likely to experience violence by a cohabiting partner as women without disability. Read more: Disability and Violence – In Focus: Crime and Justice Statistics
The Disability Royal Commission findings showed:
- Women with disabilities are more likely to experience violence, abuse, exploitation, or neglect than those without disability.
- More than half of women with disabilities have been physically or sexually abused since age 15 (17% higher than those without disability).
- These rates increase for people with intersecting identities, including First Nations women and LGBTQIA+ people.
The increased risks of violence that women with disability face, often sit at the intersection of ableism and sexism.
These experiences include domestic and family violence, institutional abuse, and systemic neglect. Factors such as dependence on caregivers, financial instability, and societal stigma further exacerbate the risk of violence.
Former President Marayke Jonkers spoke to ABC earlier this year about the ways perpetrators of domestic violence often weaponise disability.
Negative stereotypes and norms in society with the person viewed as a burden, may be exploited for the perpetrator to be seen as a person who can do no wrong and signs of violence are dismissed. Marayke shared,
People think what a hero the partner is — and will openly say it.
You’re at the check-out [with a partner], and I’m the one who went to work and earned the money, planned the meals, put the food in the shopping trolley…. and people in the line ask how long you’ve been together and say to him, ‘You’re so good for looking after her.
Read more on how perpetrators of domestic violence weaponise disability: How perpetrators of domestic violence weaponise disability – ABC News
How PWDA advocated against gender-based violence in 2024
PWDA continues to focus on ensuring that women with disability are leading conversations about their safety and their rights. We continued to push for change in a number of ways this year including:
- Advocating for a National Plan
People with disability need to be a priority cohort in the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and the intersection of gendered drivers of violence and ableist drivers of violence be considered in every response. In May 2024, PWDA, alongside Women with Disabilities Australia, advocated for the Federal Budget to fund a dedicated plan to end violence for women with disability. - Improving accessibility of domestic and family violence services
Our Building Access Project continues to provide training and guidance to domestic and family violence services in NSW on how to improve the accessibility of their frontline services. This year the project provided training to six Domestic and Family Violence service providers across Western NSW, Inclusive of Dubbo, Mudgee and Orange. The attendees were not only frontline employees. They included employees from all levels of the organisation inclusive of HR, Team leaders and Facilities Managers. - Advocating for safer workplaces
Our Advancing Women project pilot launched this year. Through mentorship and training PWDA is supporting employers to improve the accessibility, safety, participation and leadership pathways for women and gender diverse people with disability.
How can we continue to create change?
During the 16 Days of Activism, we reaffirm our commitment to amplifying the voices of women with disability who have experienced violence. Their stories and lived experiences are the foundation of our advocacy.
We call for disability-inclusive, human rights-based frameworks to understand, prevent, and respond to violence. This means ensuring that:
- Laws, policies, and services address the unique ways women with disabilities experience violence.
- Services and support systems are accessible for people with disability.
- Awareness and understanding of disability and violence and its impact on people with disability is increased.
For more information on PWDA’s work or to get involved, visit People with Disability Australia.
Ends | Contact us