Project Women Brunei held a talk on preventing sexual harassment of women and girls with disabilities recently.
Founder and Executive Director of Project Women Brunei Nur Judy binti Abdullah delivered the talk, highlighting that research has shown children with intellectual or developmental disabilities are at higher risk for sexual abuse and are more likely to be abused compared to their peers.
“When these children become adults, the abuse continue at higher rates,” she added.
She said 98 per cent of perpetrators were trusted by the child and the family.
She said that children with disabilities are often targets because they may not understand that they have been abused, or know how to report incidents of sexual assault or harassment. Even if they speak out, people may not believe them, Nur Judy said. “This results in under reporting of incidents,” she added.
Nur Judy noted that sexual harassment or violence can happen anywhere, anytime and to anyone. She noted perpetrators were most likely male and victims more often females.
The dialogue session, attended by teaching and non-teaching staff for Society for the Management of Autism Related issues in Training, Education and Resources (SMARTER) Brunei, therapists, parents and guardians, also focused on detecting physical and behavioural signs of sexual abuse and harassment among children with disabilities.
Provisions under the Persons with Disabilities Order, 2021 were also discussed, as well as the procedure on reporting abuse and neglect on persons with disabilities. – Fadley Faisal
