Domestic abuse & disabled women - statement from Dr Phillippa Wiseman
Given that research has found that disabled women, and particularly women with learning disabilities, are disproportionately likely to experience intimate partner violence, the services that support disabled women – including social work services - need to be aware of this. A better understanding of the systems of inequalities that make disabled women vulnerable, rather than an assumption that they are inherently vulnerable, would benefit social workers in supporting disabled women who have experienced violence and abuse. Women with learning disabilities, in particular, face inequalities when dealing with health and social care services and have identified these barriers as being inaccessible information, inconsistency in social work support, feelings of victim blaming and fear that social workers will remove their children if domestic abuse has been identified. Treating disabled women as experts in their own lives, capable parents and equal citizens must underpin any support given by social work services. This would include knowledge of the rights that pertain to disabled people, the broader social and health inequalities disabled women face and embedding these in any interactions with disabled women as well as an ability to direct disabled survivors to and advocate for them getting the equal treatment and the same dedicated supportive services as nondisabled women. Consulting with and listening to disabled women, and women with learning disabilities, in accessible ways first and foremost should shape all interactions with social work services.
Dr Phillippa Wiseman
Scottish Learning Disabilities Obervatory
Strathclyde Centre for Disability Research