Disability affects the experience of violence in many ways.

• Women with disabilities that affect their mobility might find it hard to escape from violence. They may be more likely to suffer physical harm. An abusive person might take advantage of their physical limits.
• Women who have disabilities like being blind or deaf might struggle to notice early signs of violence. They may find it difficult to get help. For example, it could be harder to use domestic violence services.
• Women with disabilities often face financial abuse. For example, a carer or partner might steal from them or control their money. They might tell the woman that she isn't capable of managing her own money, even when that is not true.
• Women with cognitive disabilities might have trouble understanding their experiences of violence. They may find it hard to describe what happened to them.
• Women who depend on others for help might be more vulnerable to abuse. For example, a carer might control and harm a woman, instead of helping her.
• Women with disabilities might feel left out by society. People may have treated them unfairly. This can make them more vulnerable to abuse.
• Some women with disabilities might struggle to find suitable support they can access safely.

How to help

We can provide better support for women with disabilities when we understand how disability affects experiences of violence.

It’s important to understand what puts our clients at risk of harm. We should also be aware of the reasons they find it hard to get the support they need.

Support services must be:

• Disability aware
• Easy to use
• Easy to access
• Helpful
• Trauma-informed.