Breaking Barriers: Ensuring Equal Access to Safe Relationships for All

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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.

Ryan expressed a sense of accomplishment to SBS News, stating, “It feels really good to have a voice that’s actually being heard and we can actually get something done — to prevent sexual violence in disability and in relationships.” This sentiment reflects the power of advocacy and the tangible impact it can have on critical issues.

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

The program, aimed at empowering individuals, has shown promising results. According to its operator, a significant 84 percent of participants reported feeling more confident in articulating their relationship needs after engaging with the program.

Highlighting the dire need for such initiatives, Liz Forsyth, CEO of Northcott Disability Services, emphasized to SBS News the heightened vulnerability of people with disabilities to sexual violence. Forsyth’s insights underscore the urgency of addressing this issue within the community.

Central to the development of this initiative is Patrick Rory-John, a psychotherapist and counsellor with Northcott Disability Services. Rory-John played a crucial role in the creation of the Love Rights project, which aims to educate and empower participants.

“[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.

Speaking to SBS News, Rory-John stressed the importance of education, noting it as a “pivotal role” in the fight against sexual and domestic violence. This educational approach is a strategic step toward fostering understanding and prevention in vulnerable communities.

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.