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Tag: 2017

  • Submission to Discussion Paper: Domestic and Family Violence – Policy Approaches and Responses

    Submission to Discussion Paper: Domestic and Family Violence – Policy Approaches and Responses

    ACT women with disabilities experience violence at approximately twice the rate of non-disabled women. The Report on the 2012 Personal Safety Survey (PSS)2
    showed that 4,100 (9.2%) of ACT women with disabilities had experienced some form of violence in the preceding 12 months. In comparison, 4.9% of non-disabled women (4,800) had some experience of violence. Thus, the incidence of violence
    against women with disabilities is nearly double that experienced by non-disabled women. In terms of resourcing, the raw numbers of women with disabilities needing specialist services for support against violence are approximately the same as for non-disabled women. It is essential that programs and policies designed to prevent and respond to domestic and family violence have pro-active, targeted components which support women with disabilities.

    You can read our full submission below.

    20170922_Ad_DFV-SubmissionDownload submission
  • Submission to Towards A New Housing Strategy: An ACT Community Conversation

    Submission to Towards A New Housing Strategy: An ACT Community Conversation

    The new housing strategy must have accessibility consideration incorporated in all facets of the policy, that the relative disadvantage of women with disabilities compared to non-disabled women and men with disabilities be considered, and that a major object of the policy be to maximise the housing choices for all people in the lowest two income quintiles in the ACT.

    You can read our full submission below.

    20170908_WWDACT_Housing-Submission_FinalDownload submission
  • Report: Contraception and Consent – A comparative analysis of the legal frameworks for accessing contraception

    Report: Contraception and Consent – A comparative analysis of the legal frameworks for accessing contraception

    This research aims to improve women/girls with disabilities (cognitive, sensory, physical or dual disability) experiences in choosing a contraceptive device. The methodology followed adopts a human rights-based approach to provide a better understanding of contraception and consent issues concerning women with disabilities.

    This research has been initiated by Women With Disabilities ACT (WWDACT). WWDACT is a systemic advocacy and peer support organisation for women and girls with disabilities in the ACT. WWDACT follows a human rights philosophy, based on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). WWDACT is a Disabled
    People’s Organisation (DPO), governed by women with disabilities, and its proposals and recommendations to government are consistent with Article 4(3), and Article 29 of CRPD which outline the imperative for consultation.

    In the ACT, there are 32,600 women with a disability, who make up 52.5% of the population of people with disabilities, and 8.5% of the total population of the ACT (Australia Bureau of Statistics, Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers Australia, 2015). Many women with disabilities do not know about their reproductive rights. This arises from their limited access to sexual health education or information about reproduction, contraception, respectful relationships and sexuality. This is a barrier to them forming safe sexual relationships. Both young and adult women who have a learning disability which affects their decision-making, may be further compromised in exercising choice about contraception when third parties make decisions on their behalf. It is time to
    empower people with disabilities by granting them equal access to society and having control over any needed medical treatment.

    You can read the full report below.

    WWDACT-Contraception-and-Consent-Final-ReportDownload report