This month, we celebrate Women’s History Month at Anthesis. Our last blog featured bios of some amazing disabled women to know and recognize. We honor them and ALL disabled women everywhere, with a special shout-out to our nearest and dearest— the disabled women of Anthesis.
We wanted to continue this month’s theme by turning to discuss the unique challenges, risks and barriers that disabled women face today— and how we can support and advocate for meaningful change.
Here are some basic facts you should know:
— Disabled women are 3 times more likely than non-disabled women to experience violence, assault and abuse— much of this abuse coming from family, intimate partners, caregivers, and institutional facilities.
— 40% of disabled women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetimes.
— Alarmingly, it is estimated that 90% of developmentally disabled women will be abused or raped in their lifetime.
— Disabled women are 2 times less likely to be employed. (And if they are employed, they earn less money than their able-bodied counterparts.)
— Disabled women are 3 times more likely to have unmet healthcare needs. For example:
- 73% of non-disabled women receive mammogram screenings for breast cancer, while only 61% of developmentally disabled women do.
- 81% of non-disabled women receive pap screenings for cervical cancer, while only 66% of women with mobility disabilities do.
These disparities are stark. And they serve to remind us how far we have to go to create a safe and equitable world for disabled women. A cornerstone issue that is at the heart of many of these barriers? Access.
While a small and seemingly simple thing, access is EVERYTHING— especially when we are talking about healthcare. Yet, for disabled women, healthcare access can only be achieved if certain factors are taken into account. So, let’s break this down…
We start by asking these questions:
— Does the disabled woman have a healthcare clinic or the necessary specialist near her home?
— Does she have reliable and accessible transportation to get there?
— Are there any language or communication barriers that could impede or interfere in establishing or maintaining proper care? (Does she need foreign language interpreters, ASL interpreters, written materials/websites in accessible formats?)
— Are there any physical barriers that could prevent access once the disabled woman gets there? (Are there fully-accessible exam tables, on-site mobility equipment, properly-trained healthcare workers?)
Without these vital needs being taken into account, it is very hard for a disabled woman to gain access to adequate health care. If it sounds overwhelming to coordinate all of this on your own, we’ll it is. And, sadly and unfairly, it often falls upon the disabled woman herself to ensure these needs are met. But, as is often the case, what happens if the disabled woman doesn’t have a support system in place to help her tackle these issues? What if she is a disabled woman of color— facing even deeper marginalization?
Sadly, these women are subject to the neglect, risks and dangers that harm so many disabled women everywhere.
You might be wondering what you can do to help. The first thing? Vote for elected officials that support funding for Medicaid services and resources for women’s clinics that serve minority and low-income communities. As many disabled women are low-income, rely upon Medicaid, and local women’s clinics, we must make sure they have the money, supplies and staffing to meet the diverse needs of disabled women.
The second thing? Demand that healthcare providers/organizations become more accessible to the disabled. Ask about their policies to accommodate disabled patients. Ask them if they have any disabled people on their healthcare board or in leadership/decision-making roles in the organization. Hold them accountable when they don’t.
The third thing? Support grassroots organizations, like Anthesis, that work directly with disabled women. There is no substitute for community-based groups that work at the local level to personally assist the disabled. Be an ally to these organizations!
Finally, when in doubt, do some research on what you can do to help. Learn more about the issues that face disabled women. Don’t know where to start? Below you’ll find a list of resources to check out.
This Women’s History Month, and every month of the year, let’s work together to keep the perspectives and needs of disabled women at the forefront. In the words of the late Stella Young, a trailblazing disability advocate that left this world far too soon — “I am not a snowflake. I am not a sweet, infantilising symbol of fragility and life. I am a strong, fierce, flawed adult woman. I plan to remain that way, in life and in death.”
List of Resources:
Reporting Abuse of an Elder or Adult with Disability: https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/publications/reporting-abuse-of-an-elder-or-adult-with-disability-for-consumers
The Initiative (previously known as The Domestic Violence Initiative for Women with Disabilities): https://www.dviforwomen.org/
RespectAbility: Empowering Women with Disabilities: https://www.respectability.org/womenwithdisabilities/
“Health checks for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in a family practice: A Study” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5906774/
The Divas with Disabilities Project: https://www.divaswithdisabilities.org/
National Organization for Women: THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY & SEXUAL VIOLENCE:
https://now.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Disabled-Women-Sexual-Violence-4.pdf
CDC Disability & Health Information for Women:
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/women.html
Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network (AWN): https://awnnetwork.org/
A Comprehensive Health Assessment of Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: https://ddprimarycare.surreyplace.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/3.1-Health-Check-March-2020.pdf
American Medical Association: “Access to care for patients with disabilities”
https://www.ama-assn.org/media/24926/download
NCHPAD accessibility checklist for healthcare providers:
https://www.nchpad.org/fppics/accessibility%20checklists.pdf