- Conference
- 2016 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 15 October 2015
- Decision
- Carried
Conference welcomes the motions passed on domestic violence and abuse at both women’s and National Delegate conferences 2015 and believe they give the union a great platform to campaign and fight for women’s rights.
Conference is aware that this work is ongoing for the union and the national women’s committee, and calls upon the national women’s committee to take account of the additional factors affecting disabled women in this work.
Research into disabled women’s experiences has found that the effect of being both disabled and a woman places disabled women at significant and higher risk than women in the general population.
More than 50 per cent of disabled women in the UK may have experienced domestic abuse in their lives, and statistic show that disabled women may be assaulted or raped at a rate that is at least twice that of non-disabled women.
Conference notes that domestic abuse can mean that medication, food and/or money are withheld by the abusive partner and or carer, which can make it even harder for disabled women to get out of controlling relationships.
Conference further notes that another UK study looked at the prevalence and impact of domestic violence against men and women with severe mental illness. The authors found that compared to the general population, this group experienced a substantially increased risk of domestic and sexual violence, as well as higher prevalence of family violence and adverse health impacts following victimisation.
Similarly a UK study of abuse and neglect of older people in 2007 found that the majority of perpetrators of interpersonal abuse in domestic circumstances were men, most of whom were themselves older people. The eldest women were found to be at greatest risk of neglect whilst men over 65 were more likely to experience financial abuse.
Whilst it is difficult to know the full extent of domestic violence in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities, since statistical data is not yet available in the UK, conference welcomes the Women’s Aid survivor’s handbook with its specific reference to abuse in LGBT relationships, and Broken Rainbow’s work around this issue including their vital helpline.
Conference is appalled at the devastating and significant cuts to adult social services, women’s refuges, day centres and other voluntary and statutory services that disabled women use, all of which impacts on the outcomes for disabled women fleeing violence or seeking advice
Conference calls on the national women’s committee to work with the national disabled members’ committee to:
1)ensure any guidance produced on domestic violence or abuse has a specific section relating to the issues affecting disabled women;
2)highlight the effect of the cuts to branches and urge them to continue to fight against local cuts to services and voluntary organisations;
3)Liaise with the local government service group to request that ‘The Damage’ series includes cuts to women’s services, with a focus on domestic violence and abuse.
