Australian Cross Disability Alliance
Thursday 20 August 2015
Call for urgent action: End violence against people with disability
The Australian Cross Disability Alliance (ACDA) calls on the Australian Government to act
swiftly to address the epidemic of violence against children and adults with disability in
residential and institutional settings throughout Australia.
This week the Victorian Commissioner for Children and Young People, Bernie Geary, released
the report, As a Good Parent Would that details the horrific sexual violence and abuse
perpetrated against children, including children with disability, in residential care in Victoria.
The current Senate Inquiry into violence, abuse and neglect against people with disability in
institutional and residential settings has already received many hundreds of appalling stories
detailing violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability. There are many
more to come at hearings in Canberra, Sydney and Adelaide.
ACDA knows that these reports and stories are just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ and are indicative of a
widespread and far-reaching problem. The significant level of violence perpetrated against
people with disability, including those in institutional and residential settings warrants urgent
national leadership and systemic reform.
Ms Carolyn Frohmader, CEO of Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) and ACDA member
said:
“For more than 20 years, people with disability in Australia have been urging successive
Australian Governments to act to address and prevent violence experienced by children
and adults with disability in institutional and residential settings. We are working closely
with the current Senate Inquiry and are aware the Inquiry is yet to report its findings, but
we firmly believe the time has come for a Royal Commission to properly investigate and
do justice to, the epidemic of violence perpetrated against people with disability.”
Ms Therese Sands, Co-CEO of People with Disability Australia (PWDA) and ACDA member
commended the Victorian Commissioner for Children and Young People for rightly naming the
sexual abuse of children in residential care as violations of Australia’s international human rights
obligations. She said:
“All forms of violence against people with disability in institutional and residential settings
violate Australia’s international human rights obligations, and in many cases, constitute
torture and ill-treatment. We call on the Prime Minister and the Council of Australian
Governments to act swiftly to address this issue on a national level.”
Media Contact:
Sara Irvine
sarai@fpdn.org.au
0402982002
The Australian Cross Disability Alliance is an alliance of four national Disabled People’s Organisations (organisations
made up of and led by people with disability):
People with Disability Australia (PWDA)
First Peoples Disability Network Australia (FPDN)
National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA)
Women with Disabilities Australia (WWDA)