Persons with disability and intimate relationships : realities in the Maltese context

Abstract

The phenomenon under scrutiny of this study is intimate relationships and persons with disability in the Maltese context. This study investigated the lived experiences of persons with disability when it comes to embarking on intimate relationships. It also investigated the perceptions of persons with disability on disability and intimate relationships. This study was of an exploratory nature, and adopted emancipatory disability research principles based on the social model of disability. Eight persons with disability involved in an intimate relationship were recruited, and their interviews analysed. In keeping with the emancipatory disability research design, an additional four persons with disability were recruited, whose role was of a consultative nature. A number of findings emerged from this study. Persons with disability experience various barriers that could hinder them from forming or maintaining intimate relationships. These range from lack of physical accessibility, to inadequate sexual education, to lack of support from the partner’s family, and parental overprotection. Social representations of disability based on the tragic model of disability are still persistent in Malta, one of which includes the stereotypical assumption of persons with disability as asexual. The issue of hierarchy of bodies has also emerged from this study, where a number of participants perceived persons with intellectual disability and persons with mental health conditions as being less desirable intimate partners than persons with other impairments. There were participants, whose definition of disability was in contrast with the stereotypical representations of disability. Some identity formation strategies involve the separation of impairment from disability. There are persons with disability who adopt a mis-identification strategy: some Deaf people, for instance, see themselves as a linguistic minority. There are persons with disability who adopt a counter-identification approach, where disability is seen as society’s lack of accommodation to the needs of persons with disability. Findings from this study show that persons with disability can be active partners in a relationship. In addition, this study also shows that certain characteristics of the partner of persons with disability, such as having non-judgmental views on disability, have a positive influence in the course of an intimate relationship. This study has makes a number of recommendations. One such recommendation is that there should be an improvement in raising disability awareness, with persons with disability taking an active role. This study also calls for greater access to information on sexuality and reproduction for persons with disability, besides supporting the need for a comprehensive approach to sexual education.