Violence Against Persons with Disabilities in Bidar District, India

Sunil Deepak , Jayanth Kumar , Bapu Santosh , Suresh Gornalli , Praveen Manikappa , Umadevi Vyjantha , Ramesh Giriyappa
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5463/dcid.v25i2.305
Submitted: 2020-09-14 08:16:56
Published: 2014-08-17

Violence and sexual violence against persons with disabilities at community level are serious issues. Though CBR programmes and DPOs are expected to prevent violence and offer support to the victims, there is very little information about their role in this regard.

Purpose: This research aimed to assess the level of violence and sexual violence experienced by DPO members, and the role played by CBR programmes in preventing it.

Method: The study involved a non-random consecutive sample of 146 persons with disabilities from 3 sub-districts of Bidar district in Karnataka, India.

Using a structured questionnaire, interviews were conducted by a group of trained DPO members and CBR workers, many of whom had personal experience of violence. The data was entered using Epi-Info and then converted into spreadsheet tables for analysis.

Results: 58% of the sample reported having experienced violence and 14% reported experiences of sexual violence during the previous 12 months. Girls and women reported higher levels of violence at different age groups. Male children and young adults reported having experienced more violence, including sexual violence, than older men. The research did not provide conclusive evidence that participation in the CBR and DPO activities played a protective role.

Conclusions: Violence and sexual violence against persons with disabilities are serious problems. More research on the subject, in terms of roles of CBR programmes and DPOs, is needed.

Keywords

CBR DPO gender sexual violence

Authors

Sunil Deepak

Dr. Sunil Deepak heads the medical and scientific support department of AIFO (Amici di Raoul Follereau), an NGO based in Bologna, Italy. He is the national reference person for People’s Health Movement (PHM) in Italy, as well as secretary of Italian Global Health Watch. In addition, Dr. Deepak is a member of the scientific commission for the Italian branch of Doctors for Environment. Dr. Deepak has vast experience in research, training, monitoring and evaluation of programmes dealing with CBR, leprosy and primary health care in different countries in Africa, Asia and South America. He has collaborated with the Disability and Rehabilitation unit of World Health Organisation (WHO/DAR) several times, and is involved in the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC). He has also been President of the International Anti-Leprosy Federation (ILEP).

 
Jayanth Kumar

The author has a PhD in Sociology, has been working in CBR programmes for almost two decades. He has been involved in feasibility studies, evaluations and training of personnel.

 
Bapu Santosh

The author has a masters degree in Development from Queens University, Canada, and has been involved in community based development programmes in Karnataka for the last 10 years

 
Suresh Gornalli

Suresh Gornalli has been working as the Coordinator of the CBR programme in Bidar district for the last 10 years.

 
Praveen Manikappa

Praveen Kumar, a person with disability (polio) has overcome many difficulties and is currently pursuing his bachelors degree. He is also the founding president of Bidar district Disable People's Organisation (DPO).

 
Umadevi Vyjantha

Umadevi Vyjantha was born with a movement disability. She is a grassroots community leader and activist for disability rights.

 
Ramesh Giriyappa

Ramesh Giriyappa has more than two decades of experience in CBR, first as CBR worker, than as a CBR supervisor and finally as CBR coordinator for Sri Raman Maharishi Academy for Blind.

 

How to Cite

Sunil Deepak, Jayanth Kumar, Bapu Santosh, Suresh Gornalli, Praveen Manikappa, Umadevi Vyjantha, Ramesh Giriyappa (2014-08-17). Violence Against Persons with Disabilities in Bidar District, India. Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development, Vol. 25 No. 2 (2014): Summer 2014, 35-53. https://doi.org/10.5463/dcid.v25i2.305

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