Demand for judicial inquiry to uncover abuse in SA
25/11/2014
Dignity for Disability MLC Kelly Vincent has today called on the Premier to establish a Judicial Inquiry into the abuse of people with disabilities in institutional group homes.
Responding to Four Corners episode In Our Care, which shed light on sexual violence by former disability support workers in Victoria, Ms Vincent highlighted the need for a holistic approach to preventing violence against people with disability.
“People with disability exist in every state of Australia, and so do the risks of abuse and neglect, and the barriers we can face when seeking justice,” says Kelly Vincent.
“People with disability experience sexual and physical abuse at much high rates than our non-disabled peers, partly because we are so often denied an equal voice in society.
“For people living in institutional or group settings, the risk can be compounded because the setting in which they live is so isolated from the rest of society.
“That is why Dignity for Disability is calling for an independent review of the culture in these residences, including the rates of abuse, the way in which abuse claims are handled, and ways of building a zero tolerance ethos across all disability service providers.
Ms Vincent said the lack of choice available to residents in many of these homes was part of the problem.
“Many residents in institutional homes rarely get to choose what they have for breakfast, let alone choosing who provides their personal support, so of course that makes you vulnerable if you are forced to rely on strangers to assist you with the most intimate of daily tasks.
“People also don’t come forward about abuse because of threats to their personal safety or fears they will lose the support they need to carry out their lives.
“A culture shift is needed to ensure that people with disability feel free to come forward about these heinous acts, without being personally punished. We need to know that our safety is more important than a disability service provider’s public relations image.
“Dignity for Disability has worked well alongside the Government in implementing the Disability Justice Plan. We want to continue this work through this judicial review to ensure that every step is taken to protect the dignity and safety of every person, and that everyone has access to measures that enable them to speak up about, and stop, violence,” said Ms Vincent.
