Online Reporter
Disability Issues
Dr Christine Peta
VIOLENCE against women with disabilities is a pervasive and often overlooked human rights crisis, marked by heightened vulnerability, systemic neglect and deep-rooted discrimination.
As we move towards the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (November 25 to December 10), the focus of this article is specifically on violence against women with disabilities.
Women with disabilities often face disproportionately high rates of violence globally.
According to United Nations Women, 60 percent to 80 percent of women with disabilities have experienced sexual violence and 50 percent have been subjected to multiple assaults.
These figures are significantly higher than those for women without disabilities, reflecting a compounded vulnerability due to gender and disability-based discrimination.
In many societies, especially in the Global South, women with disabilities are often perceived as asexual, dependent or incapable of autonomy. These stereotypes not only strip them of agency but also make them targets for abuse, often by caregivers, family members or institutional staff.
For example, deaf and blind women are often regarded as easy targets — deaf women may not be able to scream for help and blind women cannot see the perpetrator.
Violence against women with disabilities manifests in various forms, including physical and sexual abuse.
They also often experience:
Psychological abuse: Verbal insults, threats and manipulation, often aimed at undermining self-worth.
Economic abuse: Being denied access to financial resources.
Institutional violence: Abuse experienced in care homes, psychiatric institutions or rehabilitation centres, which may include restraint, neglect or forced medication.
Structural violence: Denoted by a lack of inclusive shelters and inadequate reporting mechanisms.
Several factors contribute to the vulnerability of women with disabilities to violence:
Patriarchy: Societal norms that often regard women with disabilities as “good-for-nothing” women who are unfit to be wives and mothers.
Isolation: Many women with disabilities live in segregated environments, increasing their dependence and reducing their ability to seek help.
Lack of education and awareness: Limited access to education and information about rights and services.
The impact of violence is profound and long-lasting.
It can result in physical injuries that may go untreated, especially when perpetrators are family members who fear being discovered if they facilitate healthcare access.
Women with disabilities may also experience mental health challenges, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety.
Social withdrawal and further isolation often follow abuse.
Economic marginalisation also worsens, as survivors struggle to access employment or support services.
Furthermore, some women with disabilities suffer quietly because they fear they may not be believed if they report abuse.
Cultural stigma often silences survivors, especially in rural or conservative communities. The National Disability Policy of Zimbabwe has a dedicated section on violence against persons with disabilities, including women with disabilities, with provisions for prevention and response mechanisms that must be implemented.
To move forward, there is a need for awareness campaigns to challenge harmful stereotypes and promote respect for the rights of women with disabilities.
Training of police, healthcare workers and social service providers on how to support survivors with disabilities can be of significant help.
Similarly, there is need for disaggregated data by gender and disability, which is essential for informing policy and practice.
International frameworks like the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) provide a legal foundation for protection.
By centering the voices of women with disabilities in policy, ensuring access to justice and dismantling harmful norms, societies can move towards a future where all women, regardless of ability, live free from violence.
Dr Christine Peta is a disability, public health, policy, international development and research expert. She can be contacted on: [email protected]
Bongani Ndlovu