Advocates Push for Equal Access to Safe Relationships

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Content warning: This article references sexual and domestic violence.

For Dale Ryan, the Love Rights project is addressing an important issue.

The program offers online educational resources and training that aims to reduce sexual violence for people with disability and provide information on how to enjoy intimacy and connection in a safe, respectful and understanding environment.

Created by not-for-profit organisation Northcott Disability Services and funded by the NSW government, the Love Rights project covers topics including early warning signs of abusive relationships, consent, responding to sexualised behaviours, human rights and sexuality.

“It feels incredibly empowering to have a voice that is finally being acknowledged, allowing us to actively work towards preventing sexual violence within disability communities and relationships,” Ryan shared with SBS News.

“I think it’s important because we are equal to everybody else, we deserve to have the same rights as everybody else.”

The program’s organizers report that 84 percent of participants expressed increased confidence in communicating their relationship needs after engaging with the program.

Liz Forsyth, the CEO of Northcott Disability Services, informed SBS News that individuals with disabilities are at a higher risk of encountering sexual violence.

Patrick Rory-John, a psychotherapist and counselor at Northcott Disability Services, played a key role in developing the Love Rights initiative.

“[They] often don’t have access to education resources and support to understand what consent is, what safe sexual relationships and intimate connections with people are, and how they might go about protecting themselves and living full lives,” she said.

According to a 2021 Disability Royal Commission report, more than 60 per cent of Australians with disability had experienced physical, social, intimate partner violence or emotional abuse.

Patrick Rory-John emphasizes that education is a “crucial factor” in the prevention of sexual violence. Source: SBS News

A person with blonde hair and a black top using a laptop alongside a person with red hair sitting in a wheelchair.

Patrick Rory-John (left) says education plays a “pivotal role” in preventing sexual violence. Source: SBS News

They told SBS News that education is a key step for preventing sexual and domestic violence.

“You can’t prevent what you can’t name. And so education plays a pivotal role,” they said.

“If you don’t know about sex, relationships, consent and abuse, how do you know when those boundaries have been crossed?”

Rory-John also said removing barriers for people with disability was a crucial part of starting open and inclusive conversations.

“When it comes to conversations with people with disability, it’s not necessarily about asking ‘are you safe?’ and surveilling their safety, because that acts as a barrier,” Roy-John said.

“It’s actually asking, do you feel heard? Do you feel like your autonomy is being respected? Do you feel empowered to make these decisions on your own?

“These sexual conversations, a lot of people don’t know how to have, but let’s just start having them.”

If you or someone you know is impacted by family and domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.