Violence against women with disabilities German Concept International Conference, Madrid 27. – 29. Juni 2012 5/23/2015Angelika Diggins-Rösner BMFSFJ1

Violence against women with disabilitiesGerman Concept

International Conference, Madrid 27. – 29. Juni 2012

04/18/23Angelika Diggins-Rösner BMFSFJ 1

Gleichstellung

I Legal background of disabiliy policy in Germany

I Results of the new study: ‘Life situations and problems of women with disabilities in Germany’

I German strategy: Protection of women with disabilities against discrimination and violence


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Disability policy in Germany

I Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany:‘No person shall be disfavoured because of disability‘ (Article 3)

I Book IX of the Social Code 2001‚Integration and Rehabilitation of disabled people‘ ((SGB IX), includes a Gender perspective

I Act on Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities 2002 (BGG)


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I The General Act on Equal Treatment 2006 (AGG) incorporates four Anti-Discrimination Directives of the EU into German law:

I Grounds of Discrimination: race or ethnic origin, gender, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.

I foresees the protection of persons who have been the victims of multiple discrimination (p.e. Women with disability)


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I Germany signed the UN-Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol on 30 March 2007

I CRPD and the Optional Protocol have been binding in Germany since March 2009

I National Action Plan for implementing the UN-Convention in 2011(special area: women)


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I Federal Commissioner for the Affairs of Disabled Persons 2002 (Act on Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities)

I The Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (FADA) is an independent focal point to which persons affected by discrimination may turn. It was established in 2006 (General Act on Equal Treatment)

I CRPD Monitoring Body as an integral part of the German Institute for Human Rights since 2008


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Combating Violence against Women Germany policy

I Protection against violence Act (2002)

I In 2007 the Federal Government of Germany has decreed the National Action Plan II to combat violence against women: The Protection of Women with disabilities is one of the main objectives

I In 2011 Germany signed the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence,


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Life situations and problems of women with disabilities in Germany

I One of the major gaps that had been identified was that women with disabilities were on the one hand to a much higher degree than the overall female population victims of violence. Therefore to improve the protection of women with disabilities is one of the main objectives of the National Action Plan II

I The BMFSFJ started a research study of violence against women with disabilities in 2009 in order to develop targeted measures


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The study was done in 2009 – 2011 on behalf of the BMFSFJ by:

I Dr. Monika Schröttle, Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung - IFF (Interdisciplinary Centre for Women‘s and Gender Research) of the Universität Bielefeld (project management)

I Prof. Dr. Claudia Hornberg, School of Public Health of the Universität Bielefeld (project management)

I Dr. Sandra Glammeier, Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung - IFF of the Universität Bielefeld (research assistant)

I Dr. Brigitte Sellach, Gesellschaft für Sozialwissenschaftliche Frauen- und Genderforschung e.V. –GSF (Society for Social Science Women’s and Gender Research) Frankfurt (co-operation partner)

I Prof. Dr. Barbara Kavemann, (Sozialwissenschaftliches FrauenForschungsInstitut Freiburg -SOFFI.F, Social Science Women’s Research Institute Freiburg, Berlin Office), Berlin (co-operation partner)

I Dr. Henry Puhe/Ute Wagemann, SOKO Institut GmbH for Social Research and Communication, Bielefeld (co-operation partner)

I Prof. Dr. Julia Zinsmeister Fachhochschule Köln, Fakultät für Angewandte Sozialwissenschaften, Institut für Soziales Recht (Cologne University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Institute of Social Law) (co-operation partner)

I Interns: Kathrin Vogt, Nadine Vinke, Kristin Koch, Nadja Weirich, Katharina Plehn, Armin Wolf, Olga Elli, Daniel Mecke (Universität Bielefeld)

I More than 100 interviewers in various teams


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With consistent guidance and support from:I Weibernetz e.V. (represents the political interests of women with

disabilities)

I Hessisches Netzwerk behinderter Frauen (Hessian network of women with disabilities)

I Forum e.V. (lobbies for persons with disabilities)

I Deutscher Gehörlosenbund (German association of legally deaf persons)

I Several more associations and organisations of persons with disabilities

I Many more experts from science, practice and lobbying

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The study is the first one worldwide to have surveyed women with disabilities in a representative manner and reached different target groups …

I both in households and in institutions I topics: life situation, history of violence and discrimination

during childhood, adolescence and adult life I in normal language and simplified language I deaf women (interviews in German sign language)I women with or without disabled persons card I large number of women with different disabilities and

impairments I total number of interviewees: more than 1,500 women.


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Overview – Study design and elements


representative not representative

House-holds800 women

Institutions420 womenof whom:-102 women with mental illness or extreme/multiple physical disabilities (in normal language) - 318 women with learning difficulties/so-called intellectual impairments (in simplified language)

Additional survey341 women in householdsof whom:-128 blind/legally blind women,-130 women with extreme/multiple physical disabilities 83 deaf/legally deaf women (in German sign language)

Qualitative study 31 violence-affected women in households and institutionsSurvey of assistance and support needs

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Results of the representative household and institutional survey

1. Women‘s impairmentsmultiple impairments in all groups surveyed

I high proportion of women with psychological problems in all groups surveyed

I household survey: in spite of major problems 60% not holding a severely handicapped persons pass

I frequent adult onset of disability in:- 2/3 of women living in households- 1/2 of institutionalised women surveyed in normal language

I - less than 10% of women interviewed in simplified language.


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Social structure and structural disadvantages

1. Representative survey elements: disadvantages strongest in institutionalised women:

I less likely to have qualified schooling and vocational trainingI tend to work in sheltered workshops receiving low pay.I more likely to be unmarried / no relationship.I less likely to have children. I experience restrictions to self-determined life.

2. Women in the non-representative add-on survey are also affected by structural discriminations

I low household incomes (particularly of deaf women, in spite of higher levels of economic activity)

I financial strains/existential anxieties (in all 3 groups):income level insufficient to make a living and cover extra needs-based expenses.


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Discriminations and structural violence in everyday life

Almost all women with disabilities and impairments (81-99%) have experienced discriminatory acts committed by individuals/institutions Concrete instances of disenfranchisement and discrimination by individuals/institutions:- reported by about one out of every two or three women in the representative household/institutional survey (add-on survey: approx. 75% )feel they are not taken seriously:- reported by approx. 40-60% (add-on survey: 70-82%)irritating, patronising or discriminatory behaviour by others in relation to the disability - reported by one out of three women (add-on survey: approx. 65%)


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Institutionalised women were particularly likely to report restrictions to self-determined life

I lack of decision-making and choices

I poor protection of privacy

I poor protection from psychological, physical and sexual violence at the hands of residents and staff

I absence of close and trusting relationships

I rarely any partner or family relationships in institutions

I lack of educational and training resources

I next to no financial resources of their own


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Lifetime history of physical, psychological and sexual violence

Women in the study were clearly more likely than women without disabilities to have experienced psychological, physical and sexual violence during childhood, youth and adult life

I interrelation between violence and disability violence in childhood and youth- more likely to experience parental physical and mainly psychological violence * psychological violence: ca. 50-60% (vs. 36% in women without disab.) * physical violence: 74-90% (vs. 81%)- 2 to 3 times more likely to have experienced childhood/youth sexual abuse : one in three or four women in the household and institutional survey reported sexual assaults by children/youth and adults (add-on survey: one out of every 2 or 3 women)


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Physical, psychological and sexual violence in adult life

Women in the study were clearly more likely to have experienced sexual violence, even as adults.

I Sexual violence in adult life- 2 to 3 times more likely than average population to experience sexual violence as adults - more than 1 out of 3 or 5 women in the representative survey experienced sexual assaults as adults (most affected are deaf women at 43% and women with mental health disorders at 38%)

I Physical violence in adult life- almost twice as likely as women in the average population (58-75% vs. 35% + more serious and threatening assaults)

I Psychological violence in adult life- also clearly more prevalent than in the average population (68-90% vs. 45%)


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Physical, psychological and sexual violence – women in the add-on survey

I Deaf women: most heavily affected by physical and sexual violence- 75% physical violence- 43% sexual violence- 41% physical intimate partner violence

I Blind women and women with extreme/multiple physical disabilities; particularly often in threatening ways, perceived inability to defend oneself properly (very low levels of perceived safety, even in public)

I Experience violence more often in all areas of life (not only in partnerships/family, but even and increasingly in public, world of work, at the hands of strangers/persons they hardly know)


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Experience of violence and perpetratorsPerpetrators predominantly from family and partnership, immediate social environment (+ persons in institutions)

I Perpetrators predominantly from social proximity(mainly partners and family members; women with disabilities are clearly more likely than those without to experience violence at the hands of partners/ex partners)

I Plus perpetrators in institutions (Staff - psychological violence, and residents - psychological, physical and sexual violence)

I Psychological violence frequently also dealt out by offices and agencies as well as health services (especially to women living in households and women in the add-on survey)


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Results of the qualitative surveys

I Especially women with so-called intellectual impairments struggle to find support outside the institution; they are often not believed.

I Majority of support services not accessible to women, neither low-threshold nor target group-oriented

I Search for support made difficult by dependencies / problems of self-worth and limited social contacts.

I Institutions tend to be closed systems, assaults go undetected


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Conclusion

I Women with disabilities have so far been inadequately protected from physical, sexual and psychological violence

I Increased activities are necessary to provide for low-threshold and accessible protection and support services

I Doctors are relevant for communicating information and providing support

I Institutionalised women and girls: consistent protection from and prevention of violence

I Violence prevention must be accompanied by the consistent reduction of discrimination and structural violence

I Measures are necessary that strengthen the self-confidence and self-reliance of women with disabilities


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Concept of the german strategy

I Empowering women and girls with disabilities so that they are able to confront those who overstep boundaries and attempt attacks

I Improve the self-confidence of women and girls p.e

I Improve the protection of women with disabilities


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Projects in Germany

I Commissioners of women‘affairs in facilities for occupational rehabilitation and sheltered workshops

I Weibernetz „Representing the Political interests of disabled Women“

I Training within the framework of rehabilitation sports programmes ‚SELF – Self-confidence for disabled girls and women

I Support female students with disabilities /Hildegardis-Verein


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Anti-Violence Projects in Germany

I National helpline on violence against women, barrier free,I by the end of 2012 a nationalwide toll free telephone

helpline will start operation

I More and more shelters in the past years have improved their buildings and services to support women with disabilities with the aid of financial support from the Federal Governments building fund (Konjunkturpaket II). The umbrella organization of women’s shelters in Germany has published material in easy language to also address learning impaired women.


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•Thank you for your attention


Documents

Violence against women with disabilities German Concept International Conference, Madrid 27. – 29. Juni 2012 5/23/2015Angelika Diggins-Rösner BMFSFJ1