The disabled have sexual needs, too
Published on: Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Kota Kinabalu: People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) have the same sexual needs or feelings as normal individuals. "It is also untrue to say that people with IDD have more sexual feelings or needs compared to normal people," said Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology, Dr Elizabeth Daniel from India.The Consultant Clinical Psychologist dispelled the myths in a quiz at the Parents Workshop on Sexuality Among Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) at the ongoing International Conference on Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities 2011 which ends today (Wednesday).
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The workshop at UMS was also attended by health professionals and social workers. Dr Elizabeth, who is currently with UMS School of Psychology and Social Work, also asked: "Is it bad for persons with IDD to express their sexual feelings or needs? Must we stop it? If those with IDD do indulge in sexual acts, must they be punished?" The answers are "No" because punishing them is not a solution.The workshop also cleared three other misconceptions :
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- Persons with IDD have poor knowledge and understanding so it does not matter if they watch movies or videos with sexual content. (False)- Persons with IDD have poor knowledge and understanding so it does not matter if adults, dress or behave in sexually provocative ways and show sexually inappropriate behaviour in front of them. (False)
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- It is all right for parents of persons with IDD to take care of their physical needs and infantilise them, even when they are teenagers and can be trained to be independent. (False)Dr Elizabeth, who has 22 years of teaching and clinical experience, advised parents of IDD children to be extremely careful how they behave."This is because adults can influence the teen's sexuality through appropriate or inappropriate behaviour and dressing. Children pick up vulgar words when parents use bad language."In other words, the way people around the adolescent behave, touch each other and their children, the gender-roles they model and the communication they have or do not have about sexuality, provide the foundation for the decisions the adolescent will make and how it will form his or her own sexuality."Participants related an episode where an intellectually and developmentally disabled (IDD) child demonstrated to his friends in school how his parents behaved in bed. The workshop also highlighted the common problems in relation to IDD teens: Using sexually explicit language; Showing sexually provocative gestures; Unable to understand and act on social cues; Showing inappropriate behaviour in public places; fondling; masturbation, etc; Being sexually abused or molested when they are young; Being the sexual offender when they grow older.From another perspective, Dr Elizabeth stressed that sexuality is a basic need of being human like food and sleep."Whether disabled or not, curiosity about sexuality is a normal part of development, so adults are responsible for directing IDD teens in the right way."Quoting Woodworth (2004), a famous American psychologist, she said sexuality, including sexual desire is a fundamental phenomenon common to all humans, regardless of disability status.And according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) 1975, sexuality is a central aspect of being human throughout life and encompasses sex, gender identities and roles, sexual orientation, eroticism, pleasure, intimacy and reproduction."This definition shows that sexuality is more than reproduction only, and thus contradicts the view of many cultures and religions, which associate sexuality exclusively with the ability to have children."Sexuality can be experienced and expressed in thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviour, practices, roles and within or outside a relationship," Dr Elizabeth explained.Sexual health is defined as a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being related to sexuality. It is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity.For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled, the workshop was told.On sexual rights, Dr Elizabeth said these embrace human rights that are already recognised in national laws, international human rights documents and other consensus statements.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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