This is the first in a series of articles examining the role of sexuality in the lives of young people with disability, particularly those with intellectual disability.
Parents the world over are uneasy about sex education and their children. It’s an area many of us already feel uncomfortable with in our own lives, especially given the culture in which we live – when it comes to educating our children about it, the obstacles are built in.
Here in India, many parents simply avoid the whole issue. They hope that their children will figure things out on their own. And by and large, that’s exactly what happens. Starting in early adolescence, children begin to notice each other in new ways – there are subtle messages, looks, banter and innuendo that most kids seem able to decipher and participate in without difficulty. They trade information, find out what they need to know and experiment both secretly and openly. Slowly but surely, most of them come of age.
Most of them. There is one group of children, however, who have more difficulty than others. Children with disability, particularly intellectual disability, are left out of the picture. Many of them can’t read, so written material is out of reach for them. Their social skills are limited, so they miss out on the normal peer interaction other kids take for granted. They may have difficulty reasoning, making decisions and thinking realistically about the situations they find themselves in.
Numerous research studies have shown conclusively that people with developmental disabilities are at far greater risk of sexual exploitation and abuse than their typical peers for a wide range of reasons, including those listed above. Other studies indicate that many individuals with disability go through life without satisfying relationships, sexual or otherwise. They report feelings of frustration, loneliness and depression and they long for companionship.
Surely, then, this is a group which requires sexuality awareness and education more urgently than most. Yet, not surprisingly, sexuality is virtually a taboo topic where people with disability are concerned and parents continue to live in denial as to what their children need and desire.
The Latika Roy Foundation, a Dehradun based resource centre for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, has long made sexuality education and awareness an important part of its mandate. As early as 2001, the Foundation brought the discussion on this important topic to the national level when it hosted an all-India conference on Mental Handicap and Sexuality, in collaboration with the National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped. Since then, it has organized many smaller discussions and seminars on the topic and continues to offer training and awareness around sexuality to its students and their parents through ongoing programs at Karuna Vihar School and College for Vocational Training.
On August 22nd, the Foundation will again host a major event on the topic of Sexuality and Intellectual Disability when Dr Shekhar Seshadri, the country’s most eminent professional in the field, will give a keynote address on the subject. Dr Seshadri, a child psychiatrist at the renowned National Institute for Mental Heath and Neuroscience (NIMHANS) in Bangalore, is an articulate and imaginative spokesperson for those whose voices are seldom heard and whose dreams and desires are often ignored. The lecture, which is open to the public, will be held at ONGC Auditorium at 5:30 PM on the 22nd and will be followed the next day by an interactive workshop for parents of children and young adults with intellectual disabilities.
