Disability and violence: new FRA report calls for urgent measures
The new report published by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), Places of care = places of safety? Violence against persons with disabilities in institutions, is now available online. As part of the publication, Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini conducted the research in Italy.
The report is the result of an analysis of existing legislation and policies in the 27 Member States and three candidate countries (Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia), as well as fieldwork conducted in 10 countries, including Italy.
Interviews with public authorities, associations, oversight and protection bodies, and – above all – with people with disabilities who have direct experience of institutionalisation, reveal that neglect, abuse and violence against persons with disabilities living in institutional settings are widespread throughout the EU.
The normalisation of violence, barriers to reporting abuse and the lack of effective monitoring undermine the rights of persons with disabilities. For this reason, FRA calls on EU countries to take urgent measures to prevent violence, protect victims and hold institutions accountable.
"Violence against people with disabilities in institutions is a systemic problem that requires systemic change" commented FRA Director Sirpa Rautio. "The EU and its Member States must fulfill their legal obligations and protect the fundamental rights of people with disabilities by prioritising their inclusion in the community, treating them with dignity and respect, and effectively protecting them from violence and abuse" she concluded.
As the Italian member of the multidisciplinary network of experts FRANET, Fondazione Brodolini conducted the analysis and fieldwork in Italy.
