Supporting women with disability experiencing violence Meredith Lea Senior Policy Officer: Violence Prevention and Access to Justice meredithl@pwd.org.au

Overview Background information about PWDA Information about violence against women with disability Achieving justice and positive change Domestic and Family Violence Innovation Funded PWDA projects Women, Disability and Access to Justice

Conceptualising Disability Medical model (outdated): Understands disability to mean a loss, lack or deficit in function. Social model: Situates disability as arising from a number of disabling environmental, social and attitudinal barriers, which result in unequal access, exclusion and discrimination. People with disability are not more vulnerable to violence on the basis of their impairment/s, but as a result of these barriers and inequalities.

Disability and Violence An intersectional approach can help us understand why women with disability experience violence at higher rates than men with disability as well as women without disability. Women with disability are approximately 40% more likely to experience domestic and family violence than their peers (WWDA, 2018). In NSW, 30.6% of the women who experienced personal violence in the 12 months prior to the survey were estimated to have disability or a long- term health condition (ABS Personal Safety Survey 2016).

Domestic and Family Violence Innovation Fund PWDA received funding from Women NSW to deliver two projects under the DFV Innovation Fund. Both of these projects are aimed at increasing the safety of women with disability in NSW. Project 1: Peer Education Respectful Relationships. Project 2: Building Access for Women with Disability to Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) Services.

Building Access for Women with Disability to DFV Services Partnership between PWDA, DVNSW and Women’s Community Shelters. Four-year project increasing accessibility of five DFV services each year. Resources Co-developed resources in 2015 with DVNSW Available: http://pwd.org.au/campaigns/preventing-violence/building-access/ Practical recommendations for improving accessibility are divided into three stages, setting realistic timeframes and helping with long-term planning.

Practical Recommendations for DFV Services Stage 1: Minor and straightforward changes, such as: Rearrange furniture to enable wheelchair access. Make electronic information available in DOC/HTML formats. Arrange Disability Awareness training for staff. Plan inclusive events by ensuring they are held in fully accessible venues. Ensure client evaluation/feedback surveys are available in a range of accessible formats. Ensure policies are inclusive of the different experiences of domestic and family violence, understanding that carers and support staff can be perpetrators of such violence.

Practical Recommendations for DFV Services Stage 2: Modifications that need more planning and resources, including: Install tactile ground surface indicators. Ensure that light switches and power point outlets are at an appropriate height. Ensure website adheres to WCAG accessibility standards. Develop Easy English brochures and information sheets. Ensure recruitment policies and practices are inclusive and accessible. Build networks with disability service providers. Survey staff about disability awareness and their level of skill or training to ensure they continue to have sufficient knowledge and support to engage with a range of women. If necessary, arrange further training.

Practical Recommendations for DFV Services Stage 3: Significant infrastructural changes, such as: Ensure physical access to buildings abides by Liveable Housing Australia standards. Create an introductory DVD for clients of the service. Develop and implement a new Disability Inclusion Action Plan as part of each new Strategic Plan for the service, ensuring adequate governance and oversight. Ensure women with disability are represented on the service’s board or management committee.

Women, Disability and Violence: Creating access to justice ANROWS funded research, partnered with Monash University. We spoke to 36 women with disability in NSW and Victoria who had experienced violence. We heard a lot about the different barriers to justice encountered by women with disability who had experienced violence. The women we spoke to told us about what justice meant for them. Sometimes this meant legal justice, but other times this meant personal justice (being believed, getting support and feeling safe).

For more information: Meredith Lea: meredithl@pwd.org.au Women with Disability and Domestic and Family Violence Resources: http://pwd.org.au/campaigns/preventing-violence/building-access/ PWDA’s ongoing work in violence prevention: http://pwd.org.au/campaigns/preventing-violence/ Women, disability and violence: Creating access to justice: https://arts.monash.edu/gender-and-family-violence/projects/women-disability-violence/ Women, disability and violence: Knowledge Translation and Exchange Workshop: https://arts.monash.edu/gender-and-family-violence/projects/women-disability-violence/online-workshop/