The disability and sexist violence are, unfortunately, intricate. Abusers take advantage of the greater vulnerability of this group to commit their attacks. In their eyes, they are the easier prey. And, at the same time, abuse generates multiple diseases that limit the daily lives of their victims and make them even more vulnerable. It’s a vicious circle and perverse, difficult to break because those affected usually suffer in silence and the administrations nor they are always prepared for detect violence and help them.
Women with disabilities suffer more sexual and gender violence, according to the Equality macro-survey, since aggressors take advantage of vulnerability
The latest national data on this problem is offered by the 2019 Ministry of Equality macro-survey, which indicates that women with disabilities suffer more sexual and gender violence than women without life-limiting illnesses. Thus, 10.3% of those surveyed with a proven disability have suffered sexual assault, compared to 6.2% of women without this condition. And the prevalence of intimate partner violence is 20.7%, compared to 13.8% for the rest.
Other surveys reveal that the violence they suffer is even greater. He Response projectin which seven European countries participated, raises the prevalence to eight out of 10 women with disabilities, so the Spanish macro-survey could have detected only the tip of the iceberg, given that it interviewed few women with disabilities and the sector platforms suspect that those women whose intellectual or sensory disability prevents them from responding without accompaniment were left out, therefore which could be biased from the start.
Femicides
On the other hand, data on femicides indicate that over 10% of all murdered women They have an accredited disability, which is considered from 33% and can be caused by sensory reasons such as deafness or blindness; by physical, such as lack of mobility; due to difficulties in cognitive development, and also due to diseases that limit daily life, such as fibromyalgia or depression.
Women who have had or have violent partners are 44% more likely to die due to multiple diseases
At the same time, the latest macro-survey also offers, for the first time, data on the disability generated by episodes of violence. Thus, among women who have disabilities and have suffered sexual violence, 14.3% affirm that the limitations in their daily life have been caused by aggression. In the case of intimate partner violence, 17.5% say that their proven disability comes from the abuse they suffered.
In fact, a study carried out by the Universities of Birmingham and Warwich, in the United Kingdom, indicates that women who have lived or live with violent partners have a 44% more likely to die, 31% more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease and 51% more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Abuse not only causes mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety, but also diseases that are not usually related to violence such as asthma, dermatitis or allergies, pain of all kinds or intestinal problems.
The reason is that “the nervous system is on permanent alert, a factor that generates cortisol, which, maintained over time, can cause physical and mental conditions,” he indicates. Alba Alfagemepsychologist specializing in sexist violence.
“The nervous system is on permanent alert, which generates cortisol, which if maintained over time can cause physical and mental health conditions.”
Power and guilt
According to the psychologist, there is a greater prevalence of violence against women with disabilities because for the aggressors they are “the easiest prey” and possibly “those who are least likely to be believed.” if they reveal what happened. Likewise, in the area of couples, aggressors take advantage of serious illnesses to show “their can”. “They get bigger and bigger and they get smaller and they feel more insecure and weak.” In addition, Alfageme highlights, a “psychological perversion” can occur: if he acts as carer main situation and the situation is prolonged, it is possible that he uses his exhaustion to justify violence, also taking into account the gender factor and that traditionally men “are less prepared to be caregivers” and perform this role. In this context, “they justify violence and they blame themselves for having generated the situation.
To these factors, Isabel Caballero, coordinator of Cermi Mujeres (Spanish Committee of Representatives of People with Disabilities), adds the “self-blame” of women with disabilities, in reference to the fact that they often feel “a burden”, which helps them excuse mistreatment.
“There are barriers in access to information, in judicial access and in help services”
As a circumstance external to the violence but that contributes to perpetuating it, Caballero cites that the men who care “are considered good people, so there is a factor excuse, while they, firstly, experience a refusal to recognize them as women and, secondly, they are not believed and are required to have a coherent discourse when people with intellectual disabilities have difficulties in doing so.” There are, therefore, “barriers in access to information, judicial access and services “For all these reasons, among victims with disabilities there is a lower level of reporting.
The victims
To bring the situation to light and encourage complaints, the Once Foundation has promoted the publication of ‘The voice of courage‘, a choral book in which they are collected 14 testimonies of women with disabilities and victims of violence, which will be presented this Wednesday in Barcelona. These are 14 women who have dared to tell of the humiliations they suffered firsthand, in order to put the problem on the table, urge institutions to act and encourage other victims to seek solutions.
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The essay portrays episodes of physical violence, but also psychological or economic, in women with all types of disabilities except intellectual, as its author explains, Esther Peñassince they did not find anyone who wanted to narrate it in the first person because “many times they are not even aware that they are victims of violence.”
The protagonists have been able to take back the reins of their lives thanks to the project ‘Women in ON mode‘ from Inserta Empleo, which offers psychological, personal and professional help to each of those affected. “We accompany them in their empowerment”, explains Elizabeth Garciaproject technique.