Sunday is the World Disability Day and issues concerning people with disability are largely neglected.

Disabled people are often victims of sexual abuse, exploitation and violence, and since violence and HIV are closely linked, this section of the population is at a higher risk of contracting HIV.

Twenty-one-year old Charu is visually impaired. As a child she was abused by her uncle and she says she isn't alone to have faced exploitation. Almost all handicapped people undergo some form of physical and sexual abuse in life.

"The image that people have of visually challenged people is that they are very innocent. They don't know, so one can exploit them and actually they are. By the time they understand what it was that was happening to them, they are not in the position to fight for themselves," said Charu, visually impaired.

Likely targets

Studies in the US have shown that disabled people are three to four times more likely to be abused.

And since violence and HIV are closely linked, the handicapped, especially children, are also at a higher risk for contracting HIV much more than the general public.

"The vulnerability group is between 8-12 years old, this group has maximum chances of being abused. It can be understood by several symptoms are they stop trusting people, keep themselves isolated," said Dr Monica Kumar, Clinical Psychiatrist.

Dr Achal Bhagat, a psychiatrist with an NGO called Saarthak, also agrees.

"There is enough research from outside of India for example people who have psychiatric disability are at the risk of HIV aids. Disabled children are at times more prone to HIV AIDS. The protection system that exits for other children do not exist for disabled children," said Dr Achal Bhagat.

Need for awareness

Globally, HIV/AIDS is not recognized as a risk among disabled populations. While all individuals with disability are at risk, adolescents and women are more vulnerable to HIV.

HIV/AIDS educational, testing and clinical programs are also not accessible to the disabled.

"You are not talking about sex so how are they going to know about what is sex, what is HIV, what is X, Y, 'Zee', what is STD? In fact most cases of abuse don't even come out for visually challenged people," said Charu, visually impaired.

The disabled make up six per cent of India's total population and yet there are no awareness programmes or AIDS-related services for them in India.

Disabled are struggling to be noticed and recognised as a group, talking about physical or sexual abuse is yet to be part of their struggle.

Meanwhile, more than 300 hearing impaired people gathered on Saturday at India Gate for a rally. Their main demand is for Indian Sign Language to be included as the 23rd official language in India.

Their other demands included setting up an Academy of Sign Language and Deaf Education and the removal of discrimination against the disabled in the civil services.

 

 

URL- http://www.ndtv.com/template/template.asp?template=aids&id=97354&callid=1