Warning: This article discusses domestic violence and its impact on individuals with disabilities, which may be distressing for some readers.
We’ve all witnessed the gradual shift in our understanding of what it means to truly care for one another. It’s more than just being kind. It’s about recognising the unique challenges faced by those who might need more support.
It’s simply about empathy, acknowledging that vulnerability exists, and it’s our collective responsibility to offer a shield of safety.
However, recent revelations have brought this reality into sharp focus as the Royal Commission revealed shocking abuse experienced by individuals with disabilities, highlighting their vulnerability and mistreatment.
The Royal Commission into Domestic Violence in South Australia (SA) has recently shone a light on the harrowing experiences of individuals living with disabilities, revealing a disturbing pattern of abuse that has shocked the community.
SA Chief Adult Safeguarding Practitioner Belinda Lake brought to light the ‘terrible’ instances of abuse that have been reported over the past five years.
Lake said most of the suspected abuse was said to be carried out by the mothers of individuals with disabilities, followed by service providers, fathers, and siblings.
‘When it comes to physical abuse, that can be the usual things like physical assaults or unexplained bruising or injuries, but it could also include things like someone puncturing the tyres of a wheelchair so that the person can’t move around,’ she said.
She recounted a case where ‘A person with autism having their hands shackled with a rope to stop them from self-harming, or someone being contained or locked in a room to be sort of “kept safe” while a family member goes out.’
‘It could look like not having access to food, having utilities cut off, living in substandard accommodation on a property like in a caravan out the back or in a tent,’ Lake added.
The tragic death of Ann Marie Smith has prompted significant attention and action regarding the treatment of individuals with disabilities. In 2020, the state government established the Adult Safeguarding Unit to address reports of suspected abuse and mistreatment among those living with disabilities.
This initiative was launched in response to the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Smith’s death. She died due to severe septic shock, malnutrition, multiple organ failure, and additional complications stemming from her cerebral palsy while she was under full-time care.
In a recent testimony before the Royal Commission, Lake revealed that her unit received 3,353 reports last financial year, with approximately 30 per cent of these reports indicating suspected abuse of individuals with disabilities.
These reports often came from National Disability Insurance Scheme providers, health professionals, and police officers, highlighting a collective effort to safeguard vulnerable individuals.
Alarmingly, one of the most prevalent forms of reported abuse was verbal mistreatment, which frequently included ‘derogatory’ name-calling.
Mistrust leads to abuse
Lake also pointed out that one of the most concerning aspects of these reports is the ‘mistrust’ in the disability support system that can lead to family members taking matters into their own hands, sometimes with devastating consequences.
In one case, she learned of a father who refused to allow his daughter to attend a medical appointment.
‘The father didn’t think that the doctors treated her (his partner) well in terms of her care, and he then developed a serious mistrust of services, and he wouldn’t allow his two adult children with a disability to go out of the home,’ she said.
She also observed that the desire to ‘maintain control’ over an adult child with a disability can prevent them from receiving proper care and support from non-family members.
‘They’re (the parents) thinking: “No one can care for my child the way that I do”,’ she said.
‘I think more generally, the general attitudes towards people with a disability—that they might be viewed through a lens of still being a child and not being able to be independent, or seen in a paternalistic way.’
Abuse incidents reported by third parties
According to Lake, six per cent of disability abuse reports to the unit were made by people living with a disability. In some cases, a person living with a disability might not have the language to describe the abuse or the understanding that their experience constituted violence.
In another case, a reporter observed that a person living with a disability had ‘heightened behaviours’ around personal care.
‘(They) noticed that there were words that triggered heightened behaviours: dad and van. That was what was making them concerned that sexual abuse was occurring,’ she said.
The Royal Commission also highlighted the challenges faced by mainstream domestic and family violence services in meeting the needs of people living with disabilities. These services often focus on intimate partner violence and women with children, leaving those with disabilities without the specialised support they require.
‘The option of going into a crisis accommodation like a motel comes with its obvious challenges regarding accessibility, particularly for people who have mobility, behavioural, sensitive or cognitive disabilities,’ she said.
‘Usually, the crisis accommodation and that wrap-around management come together, and so if you’re not accessing the accommodation, you’re not accessing the domestic violence-specific case management.’
The Royal Commission will submit a final report to the state government in July.
Have you witnessed or experienced similar challenges? What steps do you believe should be taken to prevent such abuse and support victims? Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments below.
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