Our #1 issue is Violence ...

What is abuse?  That’s what we asked you when we went around the country talking to women with disabilities. 

I was sexually abused at the age of twelve by an older adult that I trusted and although I knew it was wrong, I did not know it was a crime, in fact I thought it was my fault, for the longest time.  What a honour it is to finally have a place to share our thoughts with you and a space where you can have your say, whether you agree, disagree or simply want to weigh in. The DisAbled Women’s Network blog is the place for women with disabilities and Deaf women to exchange ideas.

Welcome to our first blog entry with COMMUNICARE (the latin word for impart, share and make known).  Issue #1:  Violence against women with disabilities and Deaf women.  The issue of violence has been our #1 issue since DAWN Canada began. It is what first brought our organization’s founding women (17 of them) together over 25 years ago. This issue unites women with disabilities and Deaf women’s organizations around the world -  but what does it mean to you?  

This month we have the dubious distinction of being the centre fold of Abilities Magazine, with a beautiful 11 x 17 inch poster featuring artwork by painter Anne K. Abbott and information about the many types of violence that women with disabilities and Deaf women encounter. Physical force, sexual violence, neglect by a caregiver, verbal abuse and threats, financial abuse, racism, sexism, homophobia and cyber-bullying – none of these behaviours are okay. And if any of these things are happening in your life or in the life of friends you need to seek help. But that is often easier said than done.  We want to start talking about what you do in crisis.

Women call our offices because they do not know where else to turn, who else to call, who they can trust or who can help.  Well, we don’t have all the answers and we aren’t a crisis centre but when women call we do our best to point them to the best resources we know of and we always offer them the possibility of someone to talk to.  Also on the DAWN-RAFH Canada website there will be useful resources on what to do.

How do you define violence? Why do you think it happens so frequently to us?