Presenters: Patsie Frawley, Rachel Boadle, Amie O’Shea, Janice Slattery & Linda Stokoe,,

1. Living Safer Sexual Lives: Respectful RelationshipsPutting people with an intellectual disability at the centre of prevention education Presenters: Patsie Frawley, Rachel Boadle, Amie O’Shea, Janice Slattery & Linda Stokoe,, p.frawley@latrobe.edu.au

2. Background to the Living Safer Sexual Lives programs • 3 year research project – interviewed 25 people with an intellectual disability about relationships & sexuality in their lives (1998 – 2001) • Piloting of workshops for families, people with an intellectual disability and service providers & evaluation • Policy advocacy – including model development for sexual assault advocacy and a new Disability relationships policy • Published workshop manual (Frawley, Johnson, Hillier and Harrison, 2003) • 2009 funding of Living Safer Sexual Lives: Respectful Relationships – peer education program

4. Some key views about sexual assault and intellectual disability – impacting on prevention and responses People with an intellectual disability experience sexual assault because: • They are vulnerable? – protect and isolate • They cannot protect themselves? – teach protective behaviours • Their behaviour is indiscriminate? – modify their behaviour • They put themselves at risk? – manage risk for them • They cannot determine what they want so cannot determine parameters of relationships? - don’t allow relationships;‘teach’ about sexuality and relationships • They are not capable of engaging in equal and negotiated relationships? – all sexual encounters are abusive

5. What is needed? • Access to information, education and support for people with an intellectual disability • Addressing attitudes and values that act as barriers to providing support/information/opportunities • Advocating for a rights based approach • Generic services having skills to support people with an intellectual disability • Disability services providing environments that foster respectful relationships + day to day support + referral + being a part of prevention

6. Living Safer Sexual Lives: Respectful Relationships Building knowledge/evidence Sector development Fostering coalitions/networks Educating providers/supporters Primary prevention education for people with an intellectual disability by people with an intellectual disability– LSSL: RR Learning Partner model Co-Facilitators from disability and other sectors Research & Evaluation

7. Working together to develop and run a Respectful Relationships program / strategy Stories Respectful Relationships program Peer educators Co-Facilitators

8. The LSSL: RR team at work

9. Peer education – shifting the power to people with an intellectual disability • Strong view that people with an intellectual disability could not participate in prevention program – as educators, as participants • Our view – ‘Nothing about us without us’ • Shifting attitudes/views – from vulnerable victim to spokesperson/educator/change agent • Influencing change – people’s lives, services and support • Engaging across the ‘system’ and building capacity

10. The program • Trained peer educators and co-facilitators run group programs with people with an intellectual disability • Talk about why violence and abuse happens – talk about Respectful Relationships • Use the LSSL stories + facilitated discussion + activities about rights • Give people books to take away and information/links to local services

11. Using stories and facilitated discussion by peer educators • W Watch Hannah’s story: • What would you say to Hannah if she was here? • What would you say about her experiences? • What can Hannah’s story tell us about relationships?

12. Key Messages from Hannah’s story Hannah and Kevin could not get privacy so they had sex in a public place. This is not safe, it is not fair and it is illegal to have sex in a public place. It is never OK for people like taxi drivers to take you places to have sex with you even if they say it is a relationship. Being drunk or under the influence of drugs does not mean you are ‘asking’ to be raped or assaulted Hannah and Kevin have a respectful relationship – it is equal and fair – they love each other and care for each other - they treat each other really well – they work out when it is good for both of them to have sex, it is a decision they make together

13. Responses to the stories and linking with violence and abuse prevention • Stories are complex, emotional, passionate, painful, joyful – tell us about adults struggling with issues about sexuality, relationships, power and control • People leading secret sexual lives – increased risk to abuse – lack of privacy and lack of choice and respect by ‘others’ • People wanting/having intimate relationships – able to negotiate within relationships and know about Respect in Relationships • Limited access to information about relationships and sexuality – making information accessible through group work – LSSL:RR linking to community supports and services • Abuse happening because of cultures of disrespect – not the person’s fault – need to change the way people see people with an intellectual disability

14. What people have said about the program; peer education, the stories, working together • Co-facilitators “I am very passionate about this program…I have got this role in my workplan now” • Peer Educator “I want to help other people..show people we can do it” • The LSSL: RR team……Janice, Rachel, Linda, Amie & Patsie we want to leave you with out thoughts too…….