Factors limiting healthy sexual expression in people with developmental disability
People with developmental disability may have limited opportunity to have healthy and autonomous sexual expression, and to form healthy sexual relationships, due to a range of factors including:
- difficulty understanding the complexities of social relationships
- having few friends and experiencing high levels of loneliness
- communication problems and sensory deficits
- physical disability or continence concerns
- lack of privacy, due to increased need for support from others
- attitudes and belief systems of parents or carers.
Many people with developmental disability encounter ignorance and negative attitudes about their sexual feelings and desires from others in their support network and society. This includes denying or dismissing the possibility of an adult with developmental disability having an intimate relationship, or applying stereotypes such as the person being an eternal child, asexual, or even hypersexual.
School-based sex education programs may not be targeted to the person’s level of knowledge and ability to understand and process new information. People with developmental disability may have limited contact with peers to share information. Electronic media can expose young people to additional risks (eg inaccurate information, online abuse). The eSafetyCommissioner website has Easy English resources to help young people with disabilities to learn about online safety.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funds a range of therapeutic supports including education about sexuality. The NDIS also has funding categories for social activities—consider referral if countering loneliness is part of the person’s support needs.