Workshop “Sexuality of Women with Intellectual Disabilities – 25. 2. 2016

Inclusion Czech Republic (SPMP ČR) organized on 25. 2. 2016 in Prague at the European House a Workshop entitled “Sexuality of women with intellectual disabilities”. The seminar was part of a complementary grant to the main project “I see! About Soul and Body for Women with Intellectual Disabilities“ funded from EEA Grants. The main topics of the project were: women’s health, sexual education, relationships, sexuality and sexual violence for women with mental disabilities.

The seminar included contributions by the project coordinator, Barbora Uhliřová and by the Vice-president of SPMP CR Jitka Soldánová who participated in the project by running a self-help groups of mothers. A woman with an intellectual disability shared her personal experience and explained the need to talk about sexuality and to provide accessible information on these topics related to women (and men) with intellectual disabilities also in order to prevent violence and sexual abuse.

Foreign guests of the seminar were representatives of the University of Iceland in Reykjavik and their collaborator Steinunn Thorvaldsdóttir – a woman with intellectual disabilities who talked about her personal experience of life in Iceland. Two other contributions by the Icelandic participants “Sexual identity of people with mental disabilities and how they arise“, and output from the research “Access to Specialised Victim Support Services for Women with Disabilities Who Have Experienced Violence” completed the first block of the seminar.

With the contribution on sexual protocols in social services and awareness- raising of people with intellectual disabilities Peter Eisner shared his experience in the field. A representative of the association Rozkoš bez rizika (Pleasure without risk) presented the project of sexual assistance.

The seminar also included three workshops, where participants discussed various aspects of the topic of sexuality of women with mental disabilities and violence against women. The first focused on the brochures made for women with intellectual disabilities and the role and importance of self-help groups – how they are set and how to work with them. Another focused on the experiences of women in Iceland – the life of women with mental disabilities and without disabilities.

The third workshop focused on the findings of the multidisciplinary team on the topic of sexual abuse of women with intellectual disabilities, which was created within the project and is working on the current situation in the Czech Republic in the area of ​​prevention of sexual violence, what solutions and comprehensive approach for victims of sexual violence are available, including for women with intellectual disabilities.

Further information and outcomes of the project are available on this website.

Presentations from the conference (available in English):