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‘Keep me Safe’ is the name of a project by
the International Planned Parenthood Federation (in short IPPF). |
A collaborative project seeking to empower people with intellectual disabilities to protect themselves against sexual abuse and violence throughout Europe is set to draw its conclusions at a final conference in Madrid on 11-12 December
The project, run by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), has brought together 12 partners to discuss and look at the lessons learned throughout the initiative.
According to Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) statistics, between 39 and 68 per cent of girls and 16 to 30 per cent of boys with intellectual disabilities will be victims of some form of sexual abuse before they turn 18 years old. In addition, children with disabilities are also victims of violence 1.7 times more frequently than other children, based on OECD figures.
IPPF has also teamed up with member association the Bulgarian Family Planning and Sexual Health Association (BFPA) to provide training sessions for staff and managers at the Future for Children with Disabilities Association, a centre for young people near Sofia.
The programme encourages awareness and understanding of the sexual needs of all groups within society, including young people with intellectual disabilities. Using interactive methods and scenario-based discussions, staff members were taught how to approach the topic of sexual awareness and education for people with intellectual disabilities, a subject often ignored by organisations.
The ‘Keep me Safe’ project has been supported throughout by pro familia Bundesverband, an IPPF member organisation that provides 180 counselling centres across Germany for sexual education and counseling. Acknowledging the lack of sufficient information provided to people with intellectual disabilities on such an important topic, the organisation has also worked closely in the training process of professionals to equip them with the necessary knowledge on family planning and on the rights of people with intellectual disabilities.
For more information on IPPF’s European Commission-funded ‘Keep me Safe’ project, you can visit the website here.
