Sexual Health Issues for People who Use AAC

Speak Up Project 2004

Sexual Health for adults who use AAC is often compromised because of one or more of the following factors:

• Prevalence of myths/overprotection/negative attitudes regarding the sexuality of people with disabilities which results in systemic and individual barriers to healthy sexuality and expression for AAC users.
• Censorship of sexual health information.
• Lack of access to print and other media information about sexual health particularly sexual health and disability.
• Restricted sources of information about sexuality (e.g. television).
• Omission of sexual education of youth with disabilities.
• Reduced opportunities and access to social venues to develop healthy intimate relationships.
• Reduced sense of personal worth and identity relating to sexuality and gender.
• Lack of access to positive role-models in the community.
• The medicalization of the bodies of people with disabilities resulting in the omission of “pleasure” from sexual health information.
• Restricted privacy with respect to home, transportation, and communication.
• Lack of vocabulary and supports to learn new vocabulary to communicate about sexuality.
• Lack of people with whom to communicate confidentially about sexual health/relationship concerns.
• Lack of access to social dialogue on sexuality (spontaneous and informal social moments and opportunities).
• Lack of training and policies for attendants to assist with safer sex procedures and/or birth control.
• Lack of training and support for AAC users in communicating with their attendants about their sexual needs.
• Lack of training for attendants around attitudes toward disability and sexuality.
• Lack of autonomy and choice regarding one’s lifestyle and relationship choices.

   [Top]