Spouses, Family Members, Others Victimise Women Living With Disabilities in Lagos, UI Study Reveals
- A study conducted by the University of Ibadan has revealed howwomen living with disabilities are being victimised
- Muhammed Olaitan, who conducted the study, made the revelation while presenting his findings on his PhD thesis
- Olaitan contended that the implementation of extant laws by both state and non-state actors is imperative to correct the anomaly
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Ibadan, Oyo - A doctoral research from the Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan, has found out that women living with disabilities (WWDs) suffer multiple victimisation from their spouse, relatives, healthcare providers and acquaintances in Lagos state.
Legit.ng's regional reporter in Ibadan, Ridwan Kolawole, reports that in order to save them, the state and non-state actors in Lagos should effectively implement and enforce extant disability laws to mitigate victimisation of women with disabilities in the state.
Source: UGC
In his thesis entitled; Victimisation experiences and coping strategies of women with disabilities in Lagos state, Muhammed Faisol Olaitan, recalled his encounter with women living with disabilities who have experienced victimisation in Lagos.
Olaitan said who interviewed the heads of Disable People Organisations (DPOs), lawyers among others, reported that the victimisation starts from the social construction of women living with disabilities as evil, asexual, useless and intellectually deficient.
The thesis which was supervised by renowned criminologist, Oludayo Tade, found that negative social constructions by families, spouse and others were influenced by cultural and religious beliefs about disability and led to multiple victimisations with harmful consequences on the life chances of the WWDs.
According to Olaitan, women living with disabilities experience sexual assaults, beating, poisoning, stigmatisation, denial of medication, intimidation and deprivation perpetrated by spouses, relatives, and acquaintances.
He said:
“People living with Disabilities especially women suffer multiple victimisations. This is worsened by cultural beliefs, diseases, poverty and violent attacks. The Lagos State Office of Disability Affairs (LASODA) is the major state actor performing regulatory and intervention roles on WWDs victimisation.
"Non-state actors such as the DPOs investigate and prosecute victimisers and organise seminars to improve the lives of WWDs. However, these interventions have not curbed victimisation due to challenges of implementing disability laws, unavailability of well-trained personnel and data on WWDs.”
Olaitan stated that some parents lock up their children living with disabilities in a room for up to a year because they thought they constituted a nuisance and embarrassment to the family.
Olaitan added that woman in question said that the victimisation experiences from outsiders cannot be compared with the one they face among family members.
He reiterated that cases of victimisation contribute to lack of confidence and inferiority complex among women living with disabilities.
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Nigerians celebrate pretty lady living with disability as she becomes a medical doctor
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that a Nigerian female student celebrated finishing her undergraduate programme and shared her excitement on social media.
It was reported that Ejim Judith who uses a wheelchair finally finished medical school and is now a doctor.
Sharing a beautiful photoshoot in a medical outfit on her Facebook page, the lady stated that she overcame and appreciated God for making it possible.
Source: Legit.ng
