Violence against women

Silence, stigma, not being believed: This is what makes it so difficult to talk about violence against women. For women with intellectual disabilities, these barriers are even higher – especially if they are living in institutions, segregated from the rest of society, with no one who would listen.

Click here for the easy-to-read version “A life sentence, a loss or a betrayal.” This is how forced sterilisation is experienced by women and girls with disabilities, according to a report by the European Disability Forum (EDF) and CERMI Women’s Foundation. The international community has widely acknowledged that forced sterilisation is a violation of many...

  Click here for the easy-to-read version   Cátia Freitas is 33 years old and from Portugal. Since 2012, Cátia has been part of the self-advocacy group of CERCIPOM and participated in meetings for self-advocates throughout the country. She is a client at CERCIPOM’s Center for Occupational Activities. Cátia took part in Inclusion Europe’s leadership training for self-advocates...

Click here for the easy-to-read version Researcher Juultje Holla and self-advocate Ellis Jongerius are examining how women who have experienced violence in institutions cope with the experience once they left the institution. The research is part of  “Life after violence” project by Inclusion Europe.  Juultje and Ellis recently led a workshop presenting the research. We...

[:en] Click here for the easy-to-read version   “What are you willing to do to create a more inclusive society?” This was the question that Inclusion Europe’s Policy Officer Guillaume Jacquinot raised on October 12th speaking at a workshop at the European Parliament. The workshop was on the Protection of Rights of People with Disabilities...

Click here for the easy-to-read version Women and girls with disabilities are at greater risk of becoming victims of violence, neglect or exploitation – and if they have an intellectual disability, they are even more vulnerable, as they can often not defend themselves. This is why it is important that “girls and women with intellectual disabilities know their...

  Click here for the easy-to-read version “This experience has been so important to me. I felt that my opinion matters, that people are interested in what I have to say.” This is what participant Sara Pickard from Inclusion International said at the end of the leadership training organised by Inclusion Europe from 26 to...

[:de]   Everyone has the right to decide on their own body and make their own reproductive choices. But an alarming number of women and girls with disabilities have been, and continue to be, denied these rights through the practice of forced sterilization. Women with intellectual disabilities are specifically at risk, because they often lack access to...